Fw: follow-up to meeting on polio eradication

Dear Joe,

It was a pleasure to meet you last week in Strasbourg. Unfortunately Mr. Roed-Larsen's schedule prevented him from attending. However, we hope that we shed some new light on the complex subject in our short time with Mr. Gates and his team.

We have continued to reflect on possible approaches to eradicating polio in the last few regions of the world where it is endemic. As Mr. Gates pointed out, the last millimetre seems to be the hardest. While one approach has worked remarkably well in 99.9% of the world as part of a global health campaign, we suggest that the last little bit has to be considered in very specific security, political and social conditions at the local level. We believe that we can help.

We would welcome the opportunity to talk in greater detail with you and other colleagues at the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation about strategy and tactics. I believe it would also be helpful to know more about your surveying techniques and communication strategies.

What works best: should we start with a Skype or phone call (early next week)? We are also putting some ideas on paper.

Are the interlocutors from the foundation who work on this issue mostly based in London? As we move forward — particularly before moving to the operational phase — I think it would be in best interest of the project that we meet around the same table.

I believe that Mr Roed-Larsen and Mr. Gates will, at some time in the near future, meet with a goal to outline a forward-looking plan,

Best regards,

Walter Kemp

Director, Europe and Central Asia

International Peace Institute

Dear Walter — Apologies for not responding sooner. By way of this email, I wanted to put you in touch with Michael Galway and Gabrielle Fitzgerald. As was mentioned during the meeting, both are not only working on our polio strategies in the three endemic regions we discussed but they are also increasingly looking into the security situations there and trying to determine whether there are more ways the foundation could contribute to creating a more stable environment that will increase our chances of success for eradication. I've passed along to them notes from our meeting and suggested you be in touch directly for any next steps, including the possibility of a VTC in the near future. —Joe

Joe Cerrell

Director, Europe and Middle East

Dear Walter,

I manage our polio work in Nigeria specifically, as well as our relationship with UNICEF on polio communication globally. I'd be very interested in connecting. A Skype call (Skype id Michael.Galway or telephone call next week is good. As well, I will be in London in early May before heading out to Nigeria to monitor polio activities. If you were interested in a face to face meeting, we could connect then as well.

In London, I will be meeting with the Independent Monitoring Board on May 7-8, which as the name implies tracks closely on the progress of the global polio effort in stopping transmission. Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan will all have delegates at this meeting.

Best wishes,

Michael Galway

Deputy Director

Polio Program Strategy & Implementation

Global Development

Hi Andrea...Caroline just emailed me that you called. I was hoping you'd been able to get in touch with Michael at the foundation, per his note below. —Joe

Good morning from NY, could you pls give me a call?
Thank you
Andrea

Pls. See email exchange with Joe..he is diverting me to michael (who covers nigeria..not what we want right now) and not calling back.. What to do? Andrea