Ukraine war hinders polio vaccine efforts
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Mr Gates said vital financial aid spent on fighting diseases such as polio was now being diverted to defence budgets, rebuilding war-torn areas and helping refugees.
“After the Ukraine war started, we have had some donors cut their aid. This will be tough until that war is over," he said.
The war in Yemen, instability and social resistance in Afghanistan and Pakistan were also setbacks to vaccination campaigns, he said.
“You have the war in Yemen," he said. "More children were paralysed in Yemen than anywhere in the world last year because of polio. And because of those war conditions, we were not able to get the vaccines into the country.
“The second biggest setback was in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the two countries where we could never eradicate the disease completely, but we're very hopeful.
"But it's extra tough now as money is being diverted to other humanitarian work such as rebuilding Africa."
He said partisan polarisation in the US had also affected the fight against diseases.
Mr Gates said the coronavirus pandemic was a case in point.
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