RIYADH: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Saudi aid agency KSrelief have announced a joint push to eradicate polio, improve global health, and alleviate poverty.

At the World Economic Forum’s special meeting in Riyadh, Anita Zaidi, president of the foundation’s gender equality division, told Arab News: “This is a really momentous occasion for us to really expand our partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“It's the biggest contribution that a sovereign country has ever given to the polio eradication program, and it’s really a signal for how governments in the Middle East, like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, are really stepping up to play their part in global health and development.”

Saudi Arabia will contribute $100 million to support the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, the largest multilateral development initiative in the Middle East. The fund aims to lift the poorest people out of poverty in 33 Islamic Development Bank member countries through investments to strengthen primary healthcare, eliminate preventable infectious diseases, support smallholder farming and rural agriculture, and improve basic infrastructure.

Both parties are also allocating $4 million as a relief grant in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is profoundly affecting women and children. The grant, to be distributed through UNICEF, aims to provide health interventions and access to basic water and sanitation services.

Saudi Arabia has pledged $500 million over the next five years to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which will help to deliver vital health services and polio vaccines to underserved populations through the World Health Organization and UNICEF.

The Kingdom and the Gates Foundation have pledged $3 million and $15 million respectively over three years to support the Polio Legacy Challenge administered by the IsDB, with contributions from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar under the patronage of the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean’s subcommittee for polio eradication and outbreaks.

To implement the programmes, the Gates Foundation will establish a regional office in Riyadh — in Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City — in partnership with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation to support youth engagement and effectiveness of the third sector.

The partnership between Saudi Arabia and the Gates Foundation has been in the works for several months, and as the WEF meeting for the first time since the pandemic takes place outside Davos, the urgency of announcing the cooperation became evident, Zaidi said.   

The announcement also coincides with the IsDB’s 50th anniversary this week.

This new commitment from Saudi Arabia is the largest multi-year pledge by a sovereign donor to the current GPEI strategy, ensuring that essential health services are provided to hundreds of millions of children each year.

When Africa became free of wild polio in 2020, it left Pakistan and Afghanistan as the only countries where wild polio is endemic.

“There is a special relationship between these countries and Saudi Arabia, so that thought partnership and those relationships, (you ask:) how do you work with these countries? How do you partner more deeply? All of that is important for polio eradication,” Zaidi said.

The direct engagement of countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, has helped drive the number of polio cases in those countries down from more than 300 in 2014 to 12 in 2023. The GPEI will continue to need resources until polio case numbers reach zero and the world is certified polio-free.

Global health is hugely reliant on women, who comprise 70 percent of the sector’s workforce. But women in senior roles, those who have worked on the ground to understand the eradication process of such diseases, are still lacking.

“We are really trying to change, to hear more women’s voices,” Zaidi said. “And that was part of the program in Pakistan where, for the first time, we surveyed the frontline health workers and asked: what is it that you face in your daily work that is keeping you from doing your best work? What ideas do you have for convincing people whose families are refusing polio vaccination? How do you best communicate the message? All of that has really led to so many better changes in the program,” she added.

One of the foundation’s key focuses is the lack of progress in women’s health, including stagnant maternal mortality rates in the past 10 years — 200,000 women die every year as a result of childbirth. The foundation funded a McKinsey report published at January’s WEF session that highlighted the economic cost of women in poor health.

“We really need to invest in training and retention of the frontline health workers around the world. But the other part is all the new ideas and the new innovations that we can get out to women,” Zaidi said.

Now there are innovations that measure postpartum blood loss, an annual single-injection iron IV for anemia, and ultrasounds facilitated by artificial intelligence awaiting investment and implementation. “These (are) really exciting things that we can now do to really bring down deaths during pregnancy and delivery,” she said.

Zaidi noted that global health intersects with other sectors and industries as the WEF becomes the backdrop for these essential correlations.  

“Having a forum like WEF to really talk about these issues is key. And that’s why we launched the Global Health Alliance, a global alliance for women’s health as well, which is bringing in a lot of different types of thinkers who understand this issue to really solve it,” she said.

JEDDAH: The timeless ritual of visiting record stores to unearth original Saudi and Arabic vinyl records fuels Yaser Hammad, a Saudi DJ specializing in Arabic musical treasures.

“I prefer to label myself as a selector rather than a traditional DJ,” he tells Arab News. “This allows me to introduce the audience to classical songs that may be new to them, setting my offerings apart from other DJs in the region.”

DJing with vinyl is an art that can be a bit more complicated: “Being a vinyl DJ involves more than just playing music … it’s about carrying physical songs, which is quite valuable. Unlike digital formats using a USB to carry songs, vinyl DJing requires a hands-on approach and adds a unique quality to my performances, creating a distinct ambiance for the audience.”

Depending on the venue, Hammad typically selects music that blends with the location and audience. Given his Hijazi heritage, the historic Al-Balad district in Jeddah is a regular spot where he plays music focusing on Hijazi female singers from the golden age, such as Touha, Ibtisam Lutfi, as well as renowned singers like Talal Maddah and Fawzi Mahsoun.

“My education has fueled my love for Saudi classics and cultural preservation through music,” Hammad said. “Researching Saudi singers has enriched my appreciation for their role in shaping our cultural heritage.”

Hammad’s passion for vinyl records began during his time in film school in Los Angeles, where he frequented Amoeba, the world’s largest record store. Delving into the world music section, he discovered Arabic records, both secondhand and new represses. Inspired by this period, Hammad sought to uncover more genres within Arabic music.

During his years in Cairo and Beirut, he searched for record shops, connecting with fellow music enthusiasts who shared his love for Arabic music. Upon returning to Saudi Arabia, he met Mohannad Nassar, a local vinyl DJ professionally known as Vinyl Mode, who encouraged him to share his collection through DJing. Mohannad became Hammad’s mentor, teaching him the art of vinyl DJing and offering unwavering support.

Going analog in a digital world

Hammad’s journey as a DJ began with his first performance at Medd Cafe in Jeddah, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, he embraced virtual platforms like Zoom and Instagram Live sessions by MDLBeast that gave him a platform to explore and experiment with his music in new ways.

Arabic and Saudi music reflect Hammad’s identity, intertwining poetry and storytelling, often overlooked but crucial in revitalizing the cultural landscape. Despite challenges, particularly matching classical Arabic with the beat-matching technology of modern DJing, performing through vinyl offers a unique analog experience, relying on intuition and auditory senses, enriching the audience’s connection to the music.

I enjoy exploring record shops worldwide for Arabic music, uncovering unique stories like discovering Umm Kulthum’s classics in Annecy, France, pressed by Arab migrants with superior quality.

Yaser Hammad, Saudi vinyl DJ

“I enjoy exploring record shops worldwide for Arabic music, uncovering unique stories like discovering Umm Kulthum’s classics in Annecy, France, pressed by Arab migrants with superior quality. Personal interactions with shop owners and their recommendations add value to the records, unlike online purchases.

“Despite travels, I rarely found Saudi music until discovering Abu Mubarak’s WhatsApp group during COVID-19, auctioning rare vinyls of folk Saudi singers like Basher Hamad Shenan and Issa Al-Ahsa’i, fostering a vibrant community of Saudi music collectors,” he added.

Hammad, also a film director, said that music inspires his writing, helping him tell stories through curating music. One of his most memorable mixes called “Pass by Jeddah,” available on his SoundCloud page, narrates a love story that starts in Jeddah, moves to Makkah and ends with heartbreak on the road to Madinah.

Despite growing up listening to 2000s Egyptian and Lebanese pop music, Hammad's iPod post-high school helped him to explore various Arabic music genres, discovering traditional Saudi singers. Their music resonated with him, offering a newfound sense of representation and connection.

Dubbed as Adulsamee3 Allamee3, a funky Arabic moniker inspired by the renowned late Egyptian actor and comedian Samir Ghanim’s character, Hammad has performed at significant events and venues within the Kingdom and internationally, including MENA Night at Cannes Lions Festival organized by media group SRMG and streaming platform Anghami in Cannes, France; the Islamic Arts Biennale opening night in Jeddah; and the FenaaPhone exhibition’s closing night in Riyadh.

Amid changing online and digital music trends, Hammad is upholding the tradition of vinyl.

“Playing in public venues is an experience. Some find it hard to grasp that without the physical vinyl, I can’t fulfill their requests, even if it’s a TikTok trend,” he said. “Despite the amusing encounters, there are heartfelt moments, too, especially when the audience appreciates Saudi singers’ vinyl records.”

Hammad’s cultural plea is for Saudis to safeguard their heritage, particularly their music culture, by cherishing old cassette tapes, CDs, vinyl records and other items.

To discover Hammad’s collections, check out his SoundCloud show, Sama3i or “listening sessions.”