On January 27th in Geneva, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Director of the Office of Global Health Affairs Dr. Nils Daulaire, and Russian Federation Deputy Minister of Health (MOHSD) Veronica Skvortsova met in Geneva, Switzerland, on the margins of the Maternal and Child Health Commission Meeting and the 128th WHO Executive Board Meeting, and signed a Protocol of Intent on Cooperation for the Global Eradication of Polio. The Protocol outlines a globally-based partnership on polio eradication between USAID, HHS, the Centers for Disease Control, and MOHSD, using their expertise in coordination with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) strategy to accelerate polio eradication. Potential collaborative efforts may include disease surveillance, support for immunization campaigns, technical assistance, and advocacy efforts. Signing the Protocol of Intent on behalf of USAID, Administrator Shah said: "I am excited by the potentially huge impact that we can have when combining our countries' respective talent and expertise to overcome our world's development challenges." Watch Administrator Shah’s comments.
