Turkey provides funding for polio eradication

Pictured (l to r): Mr Anand Balachandran, Interagency Coordinator, Polio Advocacy Group;  Ambassador Türkekul Kurttekin, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Turkey to the UN Geneva; Dr David L. Heymann, Representative of the Director-General for Polio Eradication; Mr Hakan Kivanc, First Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Turkey in Geneva.

Turkey made a first-ever contribution of US$ 500,000 to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in support of a commitment made by member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) at the 10^th Islamic Summit to eradicate polio from its Member States. Turkey's contribution could be a catalyst for other OIC members to financially support polio eradication in OIC countries.

Turkey's leadership role within the OIC was critical to ensure strong political support for polio eradication at the Islamic Summit (in Putrajaya, Malaysia in October 2003) and the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (in Istanbul, Turkey in June 2004 and Sanaa, Yemen, in June 2005).