The Dutch government today announced a contribution of 20 million guilders (approximately US$10 million) to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The announcement came on the fifth day of the World Health Assembly (19 May). This is the first donation from the Dutch to polio eradication and follows the call Monday by partner agencies in the initiative for intensified efforts and additional resources for countries likely to have continued transmission at the end of year 2000. The global initiative, spearheaded by WHO, Rotary International, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), is on track to certify the world polio-free in 2005.

"We are delighted by the scale of this contribution which comes at a critical juncture in the global campaign to eradicate polio," said Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, World Health Organization Director-General. "This donation represents the Dutch government's full support for the polio eradication initiative and we very much hope that other donors will follow their example."

The funding gap to complete the initiative through 2005 was US$ 300 million as of February 2000.

The Polio Eradication Initiative, launched in 1988, is spearheaded by WHO, Rotary International, CDC and UNICEF. The coalition is made up of national governments; private foundations (e.g. United Nations Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation); development banks (e.g. World Bank); donor governments (e.g. Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America), and corporate partners (e.g. Aventis Pasteur, De Beers).

Since the Initiative began, the number of polio cases has fallen by 95% to approximately 7000 reported cases in 1999.

For further information please contact Gregory Hartl, WHO Press Spokesperson, Geneva. Tel (+41 22) 791 4458, Fax (+41 22) 791 4858. E-mail: hartlg@who.int

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