Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, during an interview January 30, 2013 in New York on the day he launches his "annual letter" from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. PHOTO: AFP
NEW YORK: Billionaire software baron turned philanthropist Bill Gates warned on Tuesday that violence in Nigeria and Pakistan could set him back in his goal of eradicating polio by 2018.
In 2013, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - a charity that funds medical research and vaccination drives - made wiping out the crippling disease in the next six years its top priority.
But the Microsoft founder, who has poured a large part of his personal fortune into the drive and encouraged fellow billionaires to contribute, said in an AFP interview that major challenges remain.
India, once the country with the worst problem with polio - a mainly childhood disease that causes the wasting of the limbs - has just celebrated three years polio free.
But the disease remains endemic in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. There are also reinfections in war-torn Somalia and Syria that threaten to break out into areas once free of the scourge.
"Nigeria and Pakistan are going to be tough. The Pakistan violence is evil," Gates told AFP in New York on Tuesday, complaining that local conspiracy theories have undermined innoculation drives.
"The truth is the vaccine is to help kids. And spreading rumors and attacking the workers on this - those people don't have justice and truth on their side.
"And so we may miss by a year or two if we can't help out with that. The president, the religious leaders a lot of the supporters of that country are trying to get the truth out.
"Just hours before Gates spoke, three polio workers were shot dead in Karachi, forcing the suspension vaccination in the whole province of Sindh.
Last week the World Health Organisation warned that Peshawar was the world's "largest reservoir" of the disease.
Armed opposition to immunisation and an insurgency in northern Nigeria have also hit hard.
"This is really going to come down to Nigeria and Pakistan," Gates told AFP. "Everyday we're talking about what's going well, what's not, how we track the teams, where new approaches can help out so we've intensified the effort," he added.
Last November the Global Polio Eradication Initiative said Nigeria had 51 of the 328 cases of the disease worldwide in 2013, compared to 121 out of 223 in 2012.
But numbers are up in Pakistan. According to the WHO, Pakistan recorded 91 cases of polio last year compared with 58 in 2012.
"Even in Pakistan it's somewhat of an increase but still small numbers so we're very close," Gates told AFP.
The Gates Foundation spends more than $300 million a year on polio programs and US Congress has also allocated extra money. "I think we'll have the money. I think we've got the will. We need - on the ground - to get the truth out," Gates said.
COMMENTS (12)
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@riaz: Are you serious? What Bill Gates is doing is truly very nice. Pakistan now has a lot of work to do. Especially with these deteriorating conditions. India, is such a big country and yet they have managed to eradicate Polio. What does that tell? We need to improve the security of our country and need these EPI programs to work in our country so that Mortality rate of infant and under 5 can be lessened. Pakistan is lagging far behind the Millennium Development Goals. We can only do that if we as Pakistanis are united.
India was able to achieve this not due to Mr.Gate's munificence alone, although that surely helped in a great way, and for which the Indian nation is grateful for his humanity and magnanimity.
But, also because, social workers and public officials and the Aam Aadmi + Aurat worked lock-step to break through the resistance they faced from religious fundamentalists and superstitious beliefs.
Kazi-saabs, pundits and social-worker in the poorest of colonies made an attempt to educate and make aware the parents of the need to vaccinate. And they succeeded. And how! There is a great documentary on a Muslim social worker, who alongwith the Muslim clergy in a very poor Muslim neighbourhood in Allahabad, ensured that every vulnerable kid was vaccinated against polio. Contrast this, to the shooting of daring and brave Pakistani anti-Polio activists.
At this rate, Nigeria will be Polio free in another five years. Pakistan will be too, but in ten years from now. Pakistanis deserve better. But our college students would rather sit at a cafe and type away on Facebook, moaning about our country's problems, and plan on joining their uncle and cousins in Canada and the UK, rather than fan out into the city and get on with the agenda.
@riaz: Bill Gates and his oil are not insulting Pakistan .They are insulting the whole world. Having looted and continuing to loot billions in software licences , they are founding and funding these foundations for self atonement . They chose easy projects ,which can show case success , to fund.Govt's should refuse their aid and act on their own.
lets for once hold no one but ourselves responsible for standing in league with Nigeria.
Dear Mr. Gates, Please do not listen to few who are against the OPV or your good efforts to kick off this disease from the world and Pakistan. Please continue your support and commitment and there are unlimited numbers of good people to support and appreciate your efforts.
Its not his fault that he is American and has to be on his governments side when it comes to global politics.
What counts is that he gives from his own pocket to help others.
You need to match that before raising your finger against such individuals.
Mr Bill Gates, what a legend you are. May god bless you.
And his country plays a major role in bringing Pakistan to this position
@riaz: please tell it was a sarcastic comment
Are they? It seems like Gates want to help the children in Pakistan.
what else can we expect from these americans. always trying to insult Pakistan