'No Place Is Risk-Free Until The World Is Polio-Free:' Bill Gates Urges Global Action To Close Deadly Immunity Gaps

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates says the world stands on the brink of eradicating polio but warns that a critical funding shortfall could undo decades of progress.

Polio Cases Drop 99.9% Worldwide, But Last-Mile Challenges Remain

Gates highlighted last week that polio cases have dropped 99.9% since 1988, with Africa now certified free of wild poliovirus. 

"We're closer than ever to total polio eradication," Gates said. "But the last mile is proving the hardest because viruses exploit any immunity gaps." 

While Type 2 and Type 3 wild poliovirus have been eliminated, only Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to experience persistent Type 1 transmission.

Variant Outbreaks And Global Risks Highlight Urgent Need For Vaccination

Gates warned that variant outbreaks—caused when weakened vaccine strains mutate in under-immunized communities—pose ongoing risks. 

"No place is risk-free until the world is polio-free," he added, citing recent detections of poliovirus in the U.S., U.K., and other countries. 

He praised advances in vaccines and surveillance, including nearly two billion doses of the new nOPV2 vaccine and faster detection labs in Africa that give health workers a critical head start.

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Global Health Cuts Threatened Progress

Earlier this month, Gates and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reportedly worked on plans to expand access to popular weight-loss drugs such as Novo Nordisk A/S' (NYSE:NVO) Wegovy and Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE:LLY)  Mounjaro in low- and middle-income countries.

The initiative aimed to narrow global inequality in obesity treatment by making the medications more affordable.

Gates said the effort would mirror his foundation's HIV prevention model, partnering with manufacturers to deliver low-cost versions to poorer nations.

In September, Gates warned that declining global health funding threatened millions of children's lives, even as he pledged $912 million to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

"I am not capable of making up what the government cuts," Gates said ahead of the Gates Foundation's Goalkeepers event in New York.

Despite a 21% drop in global health aid since 2024, Gates remained optimistic that governments would renew commitments.

In August, he also met President Donald Trump to discuss U.S. global health programs and pledged $2.5 billion to advance women's health worldwide.

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• Larry Ellison Once Said Bill Gates Isn't The Smartest Or Most ‘Brilliant,' But Has Two Traits That Very Few Have—'Bill, Forgive Me'

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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