End Polio Now

Since the PolioPlus program's inception in 1985, more than two billion children have received oral polio vaccine. But Rotary's work is not done: The disease has not yet been eradicated.

From 2010 to 2012, an estimate US$850 million per year from all sources is needed in donor contributions to fund the final eradication phase. This level of expense is expected to decrease as wild poliovirus transmission is interrupted in the four remaining polio-endemic countries and outbreaks in previously polio-free countries are reduced. The budget for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is revised quarterly to reflect changes in epidemiology as well as financial contributions made by Rotary and other donors to the program.

Rotary's Challenge is our response to the two grants totaling $355 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help eradicate polio. We're not quite there yet!