UK funding 'to help polio fight'

There are just over 1,000 cases a year

The government has pledged £60m to finally rid the world of polio - 50 years after the discovery of a vaccine for the disease.

A third of the cash will immediately go to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to help plug the gap to eradicate the virus by the end of 2005.

A further £40m will follow between 2006 and 2008.

But the initiative warned there were still some immunisation problems which could mean the deadline will be missed.

In 2004 there were just 1,255 cases of the virus - down from 350,000 in 1988 when the mass immunisation programme was launched.

It now mainly affects children under five in several African countries although there has been a recent outbreak in Indonesia.

Vaccines

The UK money will go towards providing vaccines, training medical staff and putting systems in place to help identify new cases as soon as possible.

International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said: "The international community's fight against polio is one of the real success stories in the global campaign to combat poverty.

"The funding I have announced today will, together with other contributions already made, fulfil a long standing G8 pledge to fully fund the final effort to eradicate the disease.

"But we cannot stop here. Ensuring polio never breaks out again will cost over £400m between 2006 and 2008.

"That's why I have also announced that we will contribute £40m to this post-eradication effort. I call on others to do the same."

But initiative spokesman Oliver Rosenbauer warned there were still some problems which could slow the fight.

"There are still groups in Africa where immunisation needs to be improved.

"However, we are delighted with the money. It is also an opportunity to call on other donors to follow the UK because it will require more funds to make sure it stays eradicated."