Nearly $2B Pledged To End Polio — $440M Shortfall Threatens 2029 Eradication Goal

International leaders and philanthropists pledged $1.9 billion at a summit in Abu Dhabi to accelerate the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), but organizers warn a remaining $440 million gap threatens the campaign through 2029. The public-private partnership, led by WHO, the Gates Foundation, Rotary International, CDC, UNICEF and Gavi, says $6.9 billion is required to fully implement its strategy to eradicate polio worldwide by 2029.

What the Pledges Will Do

The new funding will support vaccination campaigns that aim to reach about 370 million children each year and strengthen local health systems that protect children from polio and other preventable diseases. The Gates Foundation made the largest single commitment, pledging $1.2 billion. Other donors include the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, Rotary International, Bloomberg Philanthropies and the governments of Pakistan, Germany, the United States, Japan and Luxembourg.

Funding Shortfall and Causes

GPEI officials attribute the $440 million shortfall mainly to reduced contributions from high-income countries. Tighter aid budgets and cuts to global health financing have left the initiative vulnerable: the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany are among those that have scaled back planned support for 2026, and earlier funding shifts have affected partners such as Gavi and WHO.

"The gap that remains is largely due to tighter aid environments among traditional donors," Ally Rogers, a GPEI spokesperson, said. "Without the full $6.9 billion needed and sustained political commitment, children will be left unprotected and eradication efforts could be hindered."

Why This Matters

Poliovirus attacks the central nervous system and can cause paralysis or death when respiratory muscles are affected. The virus spreads quickly in settings with poor sanitation. Before global immunization efforts began, polio permanently disabled more than 350,000 children worldwide each year. Since GPEI was founded in 1988, billions of children have been vaccinated and polio cases have dropped by more than 99%.

Today, wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, outbreaks from vaccine-derived or variant polioviruses still threaten roughly 18 other countries, underscoring the need for sustained surveillance, immunization and local health-system support.

Looking Ahead

Global health leaders say the final push to eradicate polio requires both funding and political will. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and supporters including Bill Gates called for renewed commitments to close the funding gap and finish the job. Without that final investment, experts warn the world risks backsliding on decades of progress.

What Readers Should Know: The new $1.9 billion brings the initiative much closer to its financing target, but the remaining $440 million and continued donor engagement are critical to protect millions of children and achieve the 2029 eradication goal.