26th January 2011 Luanda -- Partners from the international polio coalition unanimously reaffirmed their full commitment to support the efforts of the Angolan government aiming at intensifying eradication of this dreadful disease within the country.

In 2010, Angola reported 32 wild polio cases. The scarcity of financial resources to support the interventions of health, the reorganization of the national health system, the improvement of the routine immunization coverage, the quality of the vaccination campaigns and the reinforcement of the epidemiological surveillance system are some of the most critical challenges that Angola faces to improve the health of communities, including Polio transmission.

Official statements to support the efforts by the Angolan government have been made by participants on a Round Table Conference on Polio Eradication which took place in Luanda on 24th January 2011 with the Minister of Health for Angola, Dr. José Van-Dúnem, the UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake, the Assistant Regional Director of WHO for Africa, Dr. Matdshiso Moeti, and the President of the Global Health Program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr.Tachi Yamada. The national budget planned to fight polio in Angola in 2011 is USD 70,063 millions, with a gap of USD 24.5 millions.

In her remarks on behalf of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. M. Moeti welcomed the efforts of the Angolan Government and encouraged all partners to continue their support until the eradication of polio. «The Government of Angola is doing a good work and WHO is confident. However, it would be necessary to make additional urgent efforts to overcome barriers and challenges that still exist to interrupt polio transmission», Dr. Moeti said.

According to Anthony Lake, UNICEF is committed to making all the necessary efforts to respond to the challenge of eradicating polio which he pointed not only as a moral issue but as a health priority too. «Africa can not lose this historic opportunity », Anthony Lake told.

Dr. Tashi Yamada from the Global Health Program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also highlighted that the struggle against polio is the main priority for the Foundation, underlining the cases still occurring among children that are shocking and meaningless. He also highlighted the encouraging results that had been reported in countries like India, Afghanistan and Nigeria, which were greatly affected in the past. «In 2010 we have made a big effort and we reduced polio cases by 90%, that is the minimum level of polio infection worldwide», Dr. Tachi Yamada stressed.

The Round Table discussion with participation of representatives of the private sector, development partners and donors was an opportunity for the Minister of Health to present the new approved plan for vaccination for 2011, including the emergency activities to interrupt polio transmission in Angola in the next six months.

During the Round Table discussion in Luanda, statements of support have been made by traditional partners of the national coalition against polio like USAID, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rotary International, petroleum companies, DHL, NGOs, and by the representatives from the governments of Brazil, Japan, Spain, Cuba and of Portugal amongst others.

The joint delegation of UNICEF, WHO and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation visited Angola from 23rd to 26 January 2011 to reinforce the highest level commitment of the government toward polio eradication and to mobilize resource for the remaining operations to interrupt polio transmission. On Monday, 24th January 2011, the mission paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency the President of the Republic, Eng. José Eduardo dos Santos, who ensured continuity of efforts of the Angolan government to eradicate polio.

The minister of the health, Dr. Jose Van-Dúnem, ensured that the Government of Angola is fully committed to interrupt polio transmission. He also mentioned the current efforts to improve routine immunization coverage up to 80% while strengthening the quality of supplementary campaigns, surveillance and social mobilization.

Issued by WHO/Angola. Luanda, Angola,
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