e-798 (International development and aid)

Petition to the Government of Canada

• Canada has been a key contributor and global leader in the effort to end polio;
• These efforts have led to polio being nearly eradicated globally. In 2016, fewer children than any year in history, were paralyzed by polio, in pockets of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria;
• Globally, there are 15 million people walking today, who would have otherwise been paralyzed by polio;
• While polio exists anywhere in our globalized world, it is a threat to children everywhere and efforts must continue to immunize more than 400 million children in over 60 at-risk countries;
• Polio immunization efforts reach hundreds of millions of children, including the most vulnerable and those in area of conflicts who would otherwise be unable to access polio and other life-saving vaccines. In order to reach every last child and end polio forever, continued funding is essential;
• The world will continue to benefit from the global health infrastructure, knowledge and tools put into place by the polio program to help fight diseases, like Ebola and measles. The global effort to end polio will continue to strengthen health systems, ensuring the world is equipped to protect against future public health threats.