The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation hosted a workshop on polio and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) on August 27-28.
The workshop took place at the KSrelief headquarters in Riyadh in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), addressing global efforts aimed at eradicating polio.
The event brought together senior representatives from international organizations, health agencies, and governmental bodies. Participants included Polio Oversight Board chair Dr. Chris Elias, Gates Foundation Senior Program Officer for Polio Outbreaks Andrea Thompson, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Hanan Balkhy, and UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Adele Khodr.
Attending the workshop, the KSrelief senior advisor to the supervisor-general for medical and humanitarian research Dr. Ziad Memish underscored the importance of enhancing bo
nds between the KSrelief and the Gates Foundation. He urged collaborative work to eradicate polio.
‘Working together, I have no doubt that we can achieve a polio-free world,’ Memish said. ‘How soon that happens will depend on many factors: supporting fragile health systems; overcoming vaccine hesitancy; encouraging an end to conflicts that interfere with the ability to vaccinate everyone; and providing outreach health services to bring vaccination campaigns to remote communities, refugees, and displaced persons.’
Meanwhile, Elias voiced appreciation for Saudi Arabia for its leadership in polio eradication as well as for KSrelief for hosting the workshop.
‘We appreciate Saudi Arabia’s leadership in polio eradication and are excited to be able to contribute to this polio learning session and to discuss the next phase of the Kingdom’s involvement,’ said Elias. ‘We are grateful to KSrelief for hosting us to discuss the next steps in the partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Global Polio Er
adication Initiative.”
The workshop agenda included sessions on polio epidemiology, governance structures within GPEI, and strategies for overcoming remaining barriers to eradication. On the second day of the workshop, discussions focused on developing a framework to support the initiative and explored potential program approaches, resource allocation, and oversight mechanisms.
Participants in the workshop were given insights into GPEI’s strategies, the progress made to date, and actionable steps for ensuring the success of global eradication efforts. Such collaboration emphasizes the vital role of partnerships in addressing global health challenges and achieving a world free from polio.
The workshop marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing commitment of global partners to eradicating polio. Saudi Arabia has long been a champion of such efforts, having supported 15 projects totaling approximately US$40 million and providing critical vaccination services to millions of people around the world.
Source: Sa
udi Press Agency