Fight Against Polio: Japan Gives 120 Million Yen Grant

The Japanese government has provided 120 million Yen (Rs.7.2 crore) grant to the UNICEF for purchase of vaccines, supplies, equipment and services for the year 2012 for the fight against polio.

After reporting zero polio case for a year, India was removed from the list of polio endemic countries by the World Health Organization (WHO) Feb 25.

"We salute this grand achievement. The Grant assistance would further contribute to our friendship with India," said Japan Ambassador Akitaka Saiki. Saiki and UNICEF India representative Karin Hulshof signed the exchange of note at a ceremony in the Japanese Embassy here.

During each national immunization day, nearly 2.3 million vaccinators under the direction of 155,000 supervisors visited 209 million homes to administer the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to around 172 million children under five years of age across the country.

"Unwavering support and confidence evinced by the government and the people of Japan in India's polio eradication efforts has been extremely encouraging and reassuring in the country's long drawn fight against polio," said Hulshof.

Source: IANS