Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking ensure progress made by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is sustained after polio funding is withdrawn in countries transitioning away from support in 2019.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has successfully led global efforts that have reduced Wild Polio Virus cases by more than 99% since its inception in 1988. The UK has played an important role in this process and UK support to GPEI will mean up to 45 million children can be vaccinated against polio each year until 2020.

It is a key priority for the UK that polio-funded assets continue to ensure strong health systems after the world has been declared polio-free, when GPEI will cease to exist. Governments and key partners must take responsibility for ensuring the assets of the polio programme are not lost and countries remain polio-free. The UK expects the World Health Organisation (WHO) to take a leading role in ensuring a robust and coordinated response and part of the UK’s funding to WHO is conditional on this being met.

The UK has been instrumental in ensuring a coherent strategy be developed and implemented that will support countries as they transition from GPEI support. We will continue to work with WHO and other key polio partners to ensure this is fully actioned and well coordinated.