22 Jun 2009
Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, has used the Rotary International Annual Convention as a platform to call on governments to do more to help eradicate polio.
Speaking at the event, which was held this year at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, Mr Ban made a plea for increased funding to free the four remaining countries in which polio is endemic of the virus.
He said that he had already written to the political and religious leaders of the four countries in question - Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria and India - to stress the importance of the issue.
"At this time of global economic downturn, we find ourselves at a crossroads," he commented.
"We face multiple crises. We can either cut back on health expenditures and incur massive losses in lives and capacity for growth, or we can invest in health and spare both people and economies the high cost of inaction."
Mr Ban was honoured with the Polio Eradication Champion Award from Rotary International at the event, which recognises his support for the cause over the last few years.
Last year, 1,652 cases of polio were reported, with 1,506 of these involving people in endemic countries.
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