UAE's polio eradication efforts hailed by Gates

Bill Gates has praised the UAE's efforts to battle polio.

It comes as the Microsoft co-founder announces the launch of a new philanthropic initiative that aims to eradicate the disease.

In a Tweet, Gates said the world’s historic progress to end polio would not be possible without the strong commitment of partners like His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Polio is a crippling and potentially lethal infectious disease.

It is caused by the poliovirus, a virus that spreads from person to person and can effect a person’s brain, spinal cord and nervous system.

The world’s historic progress to #endpolio would not be possible without the strong commitment of partners like @MohamedBinZayed and the UAE: https://t.co/MedY3Ta6vx pic.twitter.com/FgCCRjTzG9

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 1, 2019