|
PRESS RELEASE
|
PRESS RELEASE N0: JPNEMPAK: 10-053
Islamabad: 14th December 2010
The Government of Japan assures its continuous support for the Polio Eradication Initiative in Pakistan by extending a grant of approx. US$ 4.7 million (395 million-yen) to procure 24 million doses of oral polio vaccine. This vaccine will be administered to Pakistani children under the age of five.
Official Exchange of Notes (E/N) to this effect were signed and exchanged between Mr. Chihiro Atsumi, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan and Mr. Daniel Robert Toole, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. Mr. Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Federal Minister for Health and Mr. Takatoshi Nishikata, Chief Representative of JICA Pakistan Office were also present to witness the signing.
The Government of Japan’s support for the year 2011 constitutes 10% of the total Oral Polio Vaccine requirement in Pakistan. The total contribution of the Government of Japan to this project since 1996 adds up to approx. US$ 87 million, a sum, amounting to 26% of the total requirement so far, which has been significant in reducing the number of polio cases. JICA has also implemented a technical cooperation project since 2006 with the funding of US$ 3.4 million for controlling the spread of infectious diseases including polio.
While addressing at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Atsumi said that Japan was proud of the 15 year-long partnership with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health of the Government of Pakistan. He also stated that the target was to bring the transmission of the debilitating poliovirus to an end, and this was certainly achievable through continuous effort with the involvement of tireless assistance of thousands of health workers, volunteers and community workers.
Ambassador Atsumi also expressed his hope that the Japanese grant assistance would be used effectively to alleviate the suffering of all the children, especially of those children who were in the flood affected areas of Khyber Paktunkhwa, and FATA.
GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN’S CONTRIBUTION SO FAR:
The total contribution of the Government of Japan to this project so far, adds up to 9,671 million-yen (approx. US$ 86.86 million). The break-up of which is as follows:
Japanese FY |
Date of signing E/N |
Amount in Million Yen |
Vaccine Procured through Japanese Grant |
Total Vaccine Procured
(million doses) |
Proportion of Oral Polio Vaccine procured through Japanese grant |
|
1996 |
Jun.17, 1996 |
231 (approx. US$ 2.21 million) |
17.389 |
44.2 |
39% |
|
1997 |
Mar.20, 1998 |
205 (approx. US$ 1.6 million) |
18.75 |
45.2 |
41% |
|
1998 |
Oct.30, 1998 |
416 (approx. US$ 3.1 million) |
23.65 |
46.4 |
51% |
|
1999 |
Mar.24, 2000 |
636 (approx. US$ 6 million) |
60 |
137.9 |
43% |
|
2000 |
Mar.21, 2001 |
985 (approx. US$ 8 million) |
65 |
125.5 |
52% |
|
2001 |
Dec.20, 2001 |
997 (approx. US$ 8 million) |
78 |
197.1 |
40% |
|
2002 |
Dec.14, 2002 |
1,181 (approx. US$ 9.6 million) |
97 |
189 |
51% |
|
2003 |
Dec.18, 2003 |
1,083 (approx. US$ 10 million) |
93 |
220 |
42% |
|
2004 |
Oct.29, 2004 |
1,103 (approx. US$ 10.2 million) |
93 |
160 |
58% |
|
2005 |
Nov. 10 2005 |
721 (approx. US$ 6.5 million) |
46 |
164 |
28% |
|
2006 |
Dec, 15, 2006 |
450 (approx. US$ 3.85 million) |
27.77 |
300 |
9.3% |
|
2007 |
Dec, 3, 2007 |
443 (approx. US$ 4 million) |
23.8 |
236 |
10% |
|
2008 |
Jan 29, 2009 |
422 (approx. US$ 4.7 million) |
26.2 |
383 |
7% |
|
2009 |
Dec 09, 2009 |
403 (approx. US$ 4.42 million) |
25.7 |
259 |
10% |
|
2010 |
Dec 14, 2010 |
395 (approx. US$ 4.68 million) |
24 |
249 |
10 % |
|
Total |
9,671 (approx. US$ 86.86 million) |
26% |
||||