Gates Foundation partners with KSRelief to eradicate polio, strengthen primary healthcare

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Updated 29 April 2024
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Gates Foundation partners with KSRelief to eradicate polio, strengthen primary healthcare

Gates Foundation partners with KSRelief to eradicate polio, strengthen primary healthcare
  • With $500 million pledged, this is the biggest contribution that a sovereign country has ever given to the polio eradication program

RIYADH: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Saudi aid agency KSrelief have announced a joint push to eradicate polio, improve global health, and alleviate poverty.

At the World Economic Forum’s special meeting in Riyadh, Anita Zaidi, president of the foundation’s gender equality division, told Arab News: “This is a really momentous occasion for us to really expand our partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“It’s the biggest contribution that a sovereign country has ever given to the polio eradication program, and it’s really a signal for how governments in the Middle East, like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, are really stepping up to play their part in global health and development.”

Saudi Arabia will contribute $100 million to support the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, the largest multilateral development initiative in the Middle East. The fund aims to lift the poorest people out of poverty in 33 Islamic Development Bank member countries through investments to strengthen primary healthcare, eliminate preventable infectious diseases, support smallholder farming and rural agriculture, and improve basic infrastructure.

Both parties are also allocating $4 million as a relief grant in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is profoundly affecting women and children. The grant, to be distributed through UNICEF, aims to provide health interventions and access to basic water and sanitation services.

Saudi Arabia has pledged $500 million over the next five years to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which will help to deliver vital health services and polio vaccines to underserved populations through the World Health Organization and UNICEF.

The Kingdom and the Gates Foundation have pledged $3 million and $15 million respectively over three years to support the Polio Legacy Challenge administered by the IsDB, with contributions from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar under the patronage of the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean’s subcommittee for polio eradication and outbreaks.

To implement the programmes, the Gates Foundation will establish a regional office in Riyadh — in Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City — in partnership with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation to support youth engagement and effectiveness of the third sector.

The partnership between Saudi Arabia and the Gates Foundation has been in the works for several months, and as the WEF meeting for the first time since the pandemic takes place outside Davos, the urgency of announcing the cooperation became evident, Zaidi said.   

The announcement also coincides with the IsDB’s 50th anniversary this week.

This new commitment from Saudi Arabia is the largest multi-year pledge by a sovereign donor to the current GPEI strategy, ensuring that essential health services are provided to hundreds of millions of children each year.

When Africa became free of wild polio in 2020, it left Pakistan and Afghanistan as the only countries where wild polio is endemic.

“There is a special relationship between these countries and Saudi Arabia, so that thought partnership and those relationships, (you ask:) how do you work with these countries? How do you partner more deeply? All of that is important for polio eradication,” Zaidi said.

The direct engagement of countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, has helped drive the number of polio cases in those countries down from more than 300 in 2014 to 12 in 2023. The GPEI will continue to need resources until polio case numbers reach zero and the world is certified polio-free.

Global health is hugely reliant on women, who comprise 70 percent of the sector’s workforce. But women in senior roles, those who have worked on the ground to understand the eradication process of such diseases, are still lacking.

“We are really trying to change, to hear more women’s voices,” Zaidi said. “And that was part of the program in Pakistan where, for the first time, we surveyed the frontline health workers and asked: what is it that you face in your daily work that is keeping you from doing your best work? What ideas do you have for convincing people whose families are refusing polio vaccination? How do you best communicate the message? All of that has really led to so many better changes in the program,” she added.

One of the foundation’s key focuses is the lack of progress in women’s health, including stagnant maternal mortality rates in the past 10 years — 200,000 women die every year as a result of childbirth. The foundation funded a McKinsey report published at January’s WEF session that highlighted the economic cost of women in poor health.

“We really need to invest in training and retention of the frontline health workers around the world. But the other part is all the new ideas and the new innovations that we can get out to women,” Zaidi said.

Now there are innovations that measure postpartum blood loss, an annual single-injection iron IV for anemia, and ultrasounds facilitated by artificial intelligence awaiting investment and implementation. “These (are) really exciting things that we can now do to really bring down deaths during pregnancy and delivery,” she said.

Zaidi noted that global health intersects with other sectors and industries as the WEF becomes the backdrop for these essential correlations.  

“Having a forum like WEF to really talk about these issues is key. And that’s why we launched the Global Health Alliance, a global alliance for women’s health as well, which is bringing in a lot of different types of thinkers who understand this issue to really solve it,” she said.


Saudi Reef Forum to focus on rural sustainability

Saudi Reef Forum to focus on rural sustainability
Updated 7 sec ago
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Saudi Reef Forum to focus on rural sustainability

Saudi Reef Forum to focus on rural sustainability
  • Al-Ahsa event to promote communities’ role in economic growth

RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture will host the 1st International Forum for Saudi Reef in Al-Ahsa from Dec. 16-18, aiming to strengthen rural communities, and promote their role in driving sustainable development.

Maha Aldhahi, head of the forum’s executive committee, said: “The forum is pivotal in advancing rural development, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Saudi Vision 2030. It will support rural communities, while contributing to global efforts and research on sustainable agriculture.”

Aldhahi said that the forum will unite regional and international experts to address the challenge of rural-to-urban migration, a widespread issue. To counter this, the forum will propose practical solutions to ensure rural areas remain economically viable, vibrant, and sustainable.

Additionally, it will explore innovations in agriculture and rural development, fostering economic growth and social cohesion through job creation and investment promotion, she added.

Aldhahi said that the forum builds on the Saudi Reef Program, recognized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization as the world’s largest development initiative of its kind.

The program has supported over 77,000 agricultural projects, achieved a self-sufficiency rate exceeding 65 percent in vital sectors, and provided upskilling and career opportunities for rural communities.

Ghassan Bakri, secretary-general of the Saudi Reef Program, said: “The program is a model of sustainable growth, addressing food security and job creation while preserving cultural heritage. By hosting this forum, we aim to attract global partnerships and exchange cutting-edge solutions for rural empowerment.”

Bakri added that the forum will feature dynamic discussions on key topics, including sustainable agricultural practices, rural entrepreneurship, and the role of modern technology in agriculture.

The three-day event will also include an exhibition showcasing unique rural practices, handicrafts, and the work of local farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs. It will highlight how traditional techniques integrate with modern innovations to create sustainable livelihoods.


Kingdom arrests 19,696 illegals in one week

Kingdom arrests 19,696 illegals in one week
Updated 30 min 21 sec ago
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Kingdom arrests 19,696 illegals in one week

Kingdom arrests 19,696 illegals in one week
  • A total of 11,336 people were arrested for violations of residency laws

Riyadh: Saudi authorities arrested 19,696 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

According to an official report, a total of 11,336 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 5,176 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,184 for labor-related issues.

The report showed that among the 1,547 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 65 percent were Ethiopian, 32 percent Yemeni, and 3 percent were of other nationalities.

A further 71 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 22 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.

The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.

Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.


Gaza victims praise Saudi Arabia’s lifesaving humanitarian efforts

Gaza victims praise Saudi Arabia’s lifesaving humanitarian efforts
Updated 39 min 14 sec ago
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Gaza victims praise Saudi Arabia’s lifesaving humanitarian efforts

Gaza victims praise Saudi Arabia’s lifesaving humanitarian efforts

Riyadh: Palestinians in Gaza who received Saudi aid have expressed gratitude to the Kingdom for its humanitarian support through aid agency KSrelief.

They likened the Saudi assistance to rain that quenches their thirst for hope, alleviates suffering and rekindles optimism amid immense challenges, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Samaher Eid Awkal, 47, said she struggled with health issues while living in Khan Younis with her blind mother in a basic tent. She thanked KSrelief for providing her family with a suitable tent, which has eased their hardship and restored hope.

A Gaza mother who endured freezing conditions with her children without shelter also expressed appreciation after receiving essential aid. She described the support as a source of joy and hope during difficult times.

Mahmoud Nabil Abu Alwan, displaced from Rafah to Mawasi in Khan Younis, thanked KSrelief after he received a new tent. He previously lived in a dilapidated tent borrowed from relatives amid shelling and harsh displacement conditions.


Saudi Orchestra performance in Tokyo helps ‘bridge cultural boundaries,’ CEO says

Saudi Orchestra performance in Tokyo helps ‘bridge cultural boundaries,’ CEO says
Updated 23 November 2024
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Saudi Orchestra performance in Tokyo helps ‘bridge cultural boundaries,’ CEO says

Saudi Orchestra performance in Tokyo helps ‘bridge cultural boundaries,’ CEO says

TOKYO: Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Saudi Music Commission, who is in Tokyo with the Saudi National Orchestra, says music “bridges cultural boundaries and has a very important part to play in each of the three main pillars of Vision 2030” as it represents a proud nation, a vibrant society and diversified economy.

Bringing the Saudi National Orchestra to Tokyo, he said, gives people the opportunity “to communicate with our language and it allows everybody to come together and share an experience that allows us to appreciate each other’s cultures and really to be in harmony. And that’s why I think it’s so special that the orchestra is here for the first time.”

The program includes traditional music directed by Saudi Director Reab Ahmed, as well as the Japanese Imperial Court Orchestra “Gagaku.”

“We’re able to show Saudi culture on one of the most prestigious stages in one of the world’s great cultural capitals here at Tokyo Opera City, and we’re doing that with authentic Saudi music, authentic traditional Japanese music with Gagaku,” he said. “But also with that great fusion between the two sets of musicians coming together and doing something really unique and beautiful.”

“The Saudi National Orchestra and choir is really at the vanguard of developing the music landscape in Saudi Arabia as it builds the depth and richness and uniqueness of its beautiful culture, both traditional and modern.”

Pacifico said it was “an honor” to share the stage with the Imperial Orchestra Gagaku performers. “It also shows how our cultures are different and yet similar, the regard for tradition and modernity, the appreciation of music, the sense of formality in public, but warmth and a sense of fun as well in private.”

He hopes that Friday’s performance is not a one-off but becomes the foundation of a rich and long-standing collaboration with “our Japanese friends, the Tokyo College of Music, who we’re collaborating with on this concert.”

“We hope that Saudi artists will start to have opportunities to play on stages here in Tokyo, like the Blue Note and Billboard Live and the Cotton Club, or festivals like Summer Sonic or Fuji Rock. And equally, we’d love to see Japanese artists playing more in Riyadh and all over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has a very exciting story to tell.”

This article originally appeared on Arab News Japan


Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides medical and food assistance in Yemen 

Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides medical and food assistance in Yemen 
Updated 23 November 2024
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides medical and food assistance in Yemen 

Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides medical and food assistance in Yemen 

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has helped a Yemeni prosthetics center provide medical services to 536 people in October.
The Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center in Taiz Governorate provided various medical services Yemeni beneficiaries who have lost limbs, the Saudi Press Agency said.
During the project, 1,757 services were provided including measuring, manufacturing, fitting, delivering and maintaining artificial limbs and prosthetics, in addition to rehabilitation and physiotherapy services.
KSRelief also signed a deal with a Yemeni civil-society organization to provide shelter for the neediest families affected by floods and torrents in Hadhramaut.