Canada Contributes $111 Million to Defeat Polio

For many years, the Canadian government has been a vital supporter of the global polio eradication effort, and this support continues today.

On September 23, 2024, the Government of Canada announced a new contribution of approximately $111,657,485 over the next three years to support the work of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

This new funding brings Canada's total contributions to the GPEI to about $1 billion.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, commented in a press release, "These funds will help the GPEI reach communities with polio vaccines, including some of the world's most marginalized populations, and bring us closer to our goal of eradicating this disease once and for all."

Since the launch of GPEI, polio cases have decreased by more than 99%. However, last week, the GPEI reported new polioviruses cases and positive environmental isolates in the following countries:

Pakistan: four WPV1 cases

Democratic Republic of the Congo: two cVDPV2 cases

Niger: two cVDPV2-positive environmental samples

Nigeria: four cVDPV2 cases

Innovate polio vaccines have stopped the spread of wild poliovirus in all but two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Other countries have experienced outbreaks of poliovirus variants, which can emerge in areas with low immunization rates.

Two types of vaccines are used to help prevent global polio in 2024: oral poliovirus vaccine and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), which is given as an injection.

In the U.S., IPV is generally available at health clinics and pharmacies.

When traveling to one of the 37 countries reporting polio detections, the U.S. CDC recommends travelers speak with a healthcare provider about polio boosters.