ISLAMABAD: Australia and Nor­way have announced increasing funding for eradication of polio in Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

The Australian government said it would commit $100 million over the next five years for the eradication of the crippling disease.

Additionally, $20m would be provided in 2014-15 to Global Polio Eradication Initiative to help fight polio re-emergence.

An Australian government announcement said the disease was on the verge of being eradicated, but with outbreaks being reported in northern Africa and Middle East this target is becoming hard to meet. It is endemic in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

The Norwegian government announced that it’s increasing its annual support for anti-polio efforts from 240m kroner for the next six years. The funding will be channelled through GAVI Alliance.

An extra 190m kroner per year would be spent on vaccination against polio in 73 of the world’s poorest countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2014