Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann raises £650 through charity meal as part of global push to help eradicate polio worldwide

Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann spokesman said "We are encouraged to see the tangible progress made against polio in 2014, however, until we eliminate polio from its final reservoirs, children everywhere are at risk from this disease. Rotary as an international organisation along with its partners -- will work hard to ensure that the world's most vulnerable children are kept safe from polio".

He added "For 30 years Rotary has been backing the fight to end polio, Rotary clubs worldwide are holding events to raise funds and awareness needed to eradicate this paralyzing and potentially fatal disease - once and for all - the Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann is proud to be helping this worthy cause."

This charity meal follows a succession of significant developments that have brought the world closer to eradicating only the second human disease in history. In 2014, the entire World Health Organization-designated Southeast Asia Region (SEARO) was declared polio-free, which includes: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.Polio cases in Africa dropped by nearly 90 percent.

Rotary launched its flagship PolioPlus program in 1985, and in 1988 became a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since the global initiative began in 1988, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to less than 370 in 2014.

More than 2.5 billion children have been immunized in 122 countries, preventing five million cases of paralysis and 250,000 deaths. Polio today remains endemic in only three countries; Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, although 'imported' cases in previously polio-free areas will continue to occur until the virus is finally stopped in the endemic countries.

Through PolioPlus, Rotary across the world has contributed more than $1.3 billion in support, along with securing over $10 billion from donor governments. And through the 2013-18 'End Polio Now: Make History Today' Campaign, every pound Rotary contributes to polio eradication will be matched 2-to-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.