Polio control in Pakistan: Japan gives UNICEF $4.8 million

Ambassador Japan points out that Tokyo has supported Polio Eradication Initiative in Pakistan since 1996

ISLAMABAD: Japan has signed an annual grant agreement with the UN children’s fund (Unicef) to ensure that Pakistani children get vaccinated against polio. This year alone the poliovirus has crippled 246 Pakistani children. For the year 2014-15, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has given a grant of 562 million Japanese yen ($4.82 million) to Unicef – some 336 million yen more than in the previous year. Speaking at the occasion, Ambassador of Japan Hiroshi Inomata reaffirmed his country’s commitment to help Pakistan get rid of this preventable disease. He pointed out that Tokyo has supported the Polio Eradication Initiative in Pakistan since 1996. Japan’s assistance amounts to approximately $149 million (JPY 15.5 billion, Rs15.2 billion).

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2014.