ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: Japan will provide $4.68 million to Pakistan as it continues its support for the National Polio Eradication Programme.

An agreement was signed here on Tuesday under which funds provided by the government of Japan would be used to procure oral polio vaccine during 2011.

Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Chihiro Atsumi and Daniel Toole, the Unicef’s Regional Director for South Asia and Special Representative for Pakistan Flood Response, signed the agreement. Takatoshi Nishikata, chief representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and federal Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin were present on the occasion.

Japan has been supporting the Polio Eradication Programme in Pakistan since 1996.

Total contribution made so far by Japan comes to $86.86 million, a significant contribution towards efforts to reduce the number of polio cases in Pakistan.

JICA has also been involved in Unicef projects, as it continues to provide technical assistance to Pakistan to support polio eradication activities.

Since the programme was launched in 1994, the number of polio cases has been reduced from more than 30,000 in 1994 to 126 in 2010.