Rotary 'END POLIO NOW'
Rotary Clubs worldwide are spear-heading the drive to eliminate polio
Our club has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by The Rotary Foundation, Rotary's charity arm, in recognition of our financial support for End Polio Now. Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.
As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary has reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since the first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.
Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralysing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort. The Gates Foundation has matched Rotary funds 2:1, tripling the amount raised.
Other crucial health projects have run alongside the immunisation effort. These include improvements to maternal and child health and support for those who have been paralysed in the past, enabling many of them to return to education or employment.
Today, polio remains endemic only in two small areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, with only 6 cases each in 2023. But even after no cases are recorded it’s crucial to continue immunising for at least another three years to keep the world polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyse as many as 200,000 children each year.
Rotary 'END POLIO NOW' sub-pages:
Rotary 'End Polio Now' supported by Salvation Army Band Concert
more On 6 April 2019 a large audience enjoyed a varied concert by The Salvation Army Band with guest Soloist Gemma Hinchcliffe and added entertainment by Rotarian Major Mott as compere.