ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: The World Bank has approved a supplemental credit of $21.5 million for polio eradication project in Pakistan. According to a press release issued here on Friday the bank had first approved $20 million in May 2003 which is to be completed by June 2006.

"There is a historic opportunity to wipe polio off the face of the earth much like small pox and what is required is a very aggressive campaign to eradicate polio through saturation use of polio vaccine," says John Wall, World Bank's Country Director for Pakistan.

Pakistan has made significant progress towards polio eradication. Confirmed polio cases have decreased from tens of thousands per year in the 1980s to 1,803 in 1993, 103 in 2003 and 25 till August this year, according to the National Surveillance Cell of Polio Eradication Programme.

Mr Wall said, "the progress that Pakistan has made should not lead to complacency as there is always a risk of the disease making a comeback". The supplemental credit will provide additional financing for the ongoing immunization programme and fund the procurement of oral polio vaccine (OPV).

Despite intensive efforts during national and sub-national immunization days that have been held throughout the country, the transmission of the polio virus persists in the country.

The Technical Advisory Group, a panel of national and international experts that regularly reviews Pakistan's progress toward polio eradication, has recommended that immunization efforts be intensified.

"In a situation where funding for the vaccine and its application is not a hurdle, there is no excuse for even a single child to be afflicted with this debilitating disease", says Inaamul Haq, the World Bank's senior health specialist and task manager of the Polio Eradication Project.

"Parents, civil society organizations, religious children up to the age of five is imperative for the complete eradication of polio in Pakistan. These funds will assist in the continued battle against this debilitating disease".

According to the World Bank's press release the credit has a special provision for a third party-funded Trust Fund to cover the service and commitment fees, with the option to purchase the credit at its net present value once the project has been successfully completed in accordance with the terms of the Development Credit Agreement.

The International Development Association (IDA) is supporting the Pakistan as well as global polio eradication initiatives in partnership with the Centre for Disease Control and United Nations Foundation.

IDA's partners will cover the costs of the service and commitment fee of the project and "buy down" the net present value of the credit once performance measures are achieved.