Bill Gates and Saudi Arabia Join Forces to End Polio During Hajj 2024

Warda Shahid

May 1, 2024

The Bill Gates Foundation has set up an office in Riyadh. This office will work to eradicate polio. This initiative will help the Hajj pilgrims.

Photo: Mathurin NAPOLY / matnapo

Bill Gates Foundation and Saudi Arabia join hands to fight Polio.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

The Bill Gates Foundation aims to end polio by 2026. This will enhance the health security of pilgrims.
A Regional Office has been set up in Riyad to fight against polio.
$100 million to the Lives and Livelihood Fund will be invested by Saudi Arabia.

Health initiatives have been initiated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The initiative aims to end polio a deadly disease.

For this initiative, Saudi Arabia is helping as well. An office has been set up in Riyadh. They aim to improve disease tracking and sanitation. They also want to help make vaccines more affordable.

This initiative also aims to secure the health of the Hajj pilgrims. Millions of Muslims attend Hajj, making it a huge religious event.

The deadly polio has resulted in numerous deaths. Many have been paralyzed by polio as well. Polio almost ended in 2022. There was also a case in New York. This year, there are fewer cases of polio. This gives hope to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. They want to end polio by 2026.

Saudi Arabia is supporting the fight against polio. The kingdom has promised to provide a large amount. The amount has been stated as $500 million. This will be given for the next five years. This was announced at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh. The total money promised to the initiative is now over $620 million.

Saudi Arabia will also give $100 million to the Lives and Livelihoods Fund. This is the biggest development initiative in the Middle East. The fund works on basic healthcare. It also aims to stop diseases that can be prevented.

Bill Gates leads the Foundation with his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates. He wants to end polio forever. He praised Saudi Arabia and its partners in the Middle East. They are working hard to give out vaccines for polio and measles. They also provide other important health services to many children every year.