ASKED about the World Health Organization's (WHO) role in setting international priorities and raising attention, Mr Aloudat said: 'The global public health community could have done better, including ourselves.' 'I am saying that there are shortcomings on all sides... Unless all those people sit together and decide the agenda we are not going to win this one.'

He also highlighted a shortfall in meeting United Nation development goals, which include health targets.

'Complacency happens when goals are set and resources aren't allocated,' the Federation doctor said.

A WHO-led immunisation campaign in the 1990s eliminated polio from more than 120 countries, but failed in its target to eradicate the lethal or crippling disease entirely by 2005.

Since then polio has re-emerged across Africa after donors lost momentum, routine immunisation dropped off and local obstacles emerged, according to the report.

The Federation recently sought just US$2.4 million (S$3.5 million) for 80 million polio vaccines but has received less than half that funding.

Meningitis, which often surges to epidemic proportions in Africa, kills half of the people infected, while neglected emerging and re-emerging diseases affect about one-sixth of the world's population, mainly in poor countries. -- AFP