Australia gives another A$6 million for polio in PNG

By Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Foreign Affairs
 Australia 

 The Australian Government will provide a further $6 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to support the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to respond to the current polio outbreak.

In June 2018, the PNG Government declared a national public health emergency in response to confirmed cases of polio virus.

The PNG Government, along with key partners including GPEI, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have developed an outbreak response plan that includes mass vaccination rounds.

Australia’s contribution to GPEI will support the delivery of PNG’s polio response plan.

PNG is our closest neighbor, and a strong response is needed to protect both PNG’s and Australia’s health security.

Routine immunisation remains the most effective prevention for highly infectious diseases including polio.

The Australian Government is committed to the vital work of global polio eradication and has contributed $104 million to support the work of GPEI since 2011.