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April 30, 2003

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"World Bank OKs Polio Eradication Campaign"

Associated Press (www.ap.org) (04/29/03); Crutsinger, Martin

The World Bank has begun approving a new kind of loan for vaccines for the world's poorest countries in an effort to successfully eradicate polio. Instead of giving interest-free loans to the nations, the World Bank's Development Association has found private donors to repay the loans, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, and the United Nations Foundation.  According to World Bank President James Wolfensohn, the private funds will be used to pay the loans as long as the terms of the loan are being met by the country in question.  Nigeria will be the first country to receive such a loan, which will total $28 million for the purchase of polio vaccine, and Wolfensohn said that Pakistan would likely be the next in line, with a $20 million loan expected to be approved in the near future.

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