Bill Gates today reiterated his commitment to fund Indian drug companies including Ranbaxy and Dr Reddy's to develop vaccines and anti-AIDS drugs as part of his global health initiative through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday during his visit to India to assess the polio eradication drive, the Microsoft founder found no problems with the `execution of the anti-polio drive' in the country and attributed the resurgence of cases to the difficulties and complexities of the programme.
While affirming that polio will be eradicated fully in the country and the coming few years it would be critical in this regard, he said the experts would be meeting next week to reassess the tools and methods. He also urged health officials to consider adding new tools with potential to strengthen the existing polio eradication programme.
Gates, co-chair of the foundation, observed surveillance, vaccination, and outbreak response activities in Delhi, visited the family of a young girl who was recently diagnosed with polio, and met with Indian health officials and polio experts. He was accompanied by his father, Bill Gates, Sir, who is also a co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
"Being successful in polio is of incredible importance to public health so it is important we do everything possible to accelerate eradication," said Gates. "India has made an impressive commitment and I applaud the consideration of innovative approaches including the addition of IPV campaigns and the use of a bivalent vaccine." Global eradication efforts have reduced annual cases of polio worldwide by more than 99 per cent. India is one of only four countries in the world where polio is still endemic. There are many reasons for optimism that India can prevail against polio and that the country is pivotal to showing that eradication is possible, he said.
"India has established effective immunisation activities, reaching 95 per cent of children in high-risk districts. This year India has made great strides against 'type 1' polio cases - which is the more infectious and virulent strain. The vaccinators, response teams and surveillance are in place to tackle this challenge," he said.
Gates commended the extraordinary work of the government and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which includes Rotary International, UNICEF, WHO, and the Centres for Disease Control. He also expressed his gratitude to Indian parents and volunteers for their continued participation in immunisation campaigns to protect children from polio.
He said that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will continue to provide resources and a voice for polio eradication efforts in India and other countries. Over the past year, the foundation has more than doubled its funding for polio eradication.
The Gates Foundation is committed to supporting projects that address a range of important health needs in India. One of its most significant projects is "Avahan", its India AIDS initiative that supports HIV national prevention efforts.
Avahan reaches nearly 200,000 female sex workers, 60,000 men who have sex with men and transgenders, 20,000 injecting drug users, and about 5 million men at risk, mainly truckers. Each month, Avahan-supported programmes distribute about 15 million condoms, treat sexually transmitted infections and provide HIV education. Early data suggests that in some of Avahan's target areas, sex workers have become more likely to use condoms, and are less likely to be infected with sexually-transmitted diseases.