Niamey, 16 December – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has contributed US$ 1,588,000 to UNICEF Niger to support polio eradication. The grant is part of a total contribution of US$ 10 million to UNICEF to purchase OPV for seven countries in 2011 – Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen – to support the immunization of up to 33 million under-5 children across the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and West Africa. The funds will purchase Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and will allow the Government of Niger and its partners to immunize up to 3.77 million children in 2011.

A recently confirmed case of wild poliovirus in Niger has brought the total number of wild poliovirus cases in 2011 to 3, compared to 2 in 2010, and 15 in 2009. Niger has been repeatedly infected by virus of Nigerian origin but has been able to stop transmission every time. This grant provides important resources for Niger to carry out the necessary response to continue to maintain immunity until Nigeria stops polio”.

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