Way back in 1985, Rotary started Polio Plus with the objective to eradicate polio around the world like what was achieved with the small pox virus. The eradication of polio was to be performed through the mass vaccination of children.
Since 1985 Rotary has contributed more than $1.7 billion in the program to eradicate polio. This also required the tremendous help of a large number of volunteers to immunise more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. Donor governments have contributed more than $7.2 billion to the effort to eradicate polio. For a number of years now the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been donating $2 for every $1 donated from Rotary to Polio Plus. Rotary is committed to raise $50 million per year over the next three years, with every dollar to be matched with two additional dollars from the Gates Foundation. This will mean an extra $450 million for polio eradication activities, including immunisation and surveillance over the next three years.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative was formed in 1988 as a public-private partnership that includes Rotary, the World Health Oragnisation, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and governments of the world. Rotary’s focus is advocacy, fundraising, volunteer recruitment and awareness-building.
Currently there are only three countries that have not eradicated polio: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. Just 37 polio cases were confirmed worldwide in 2016, which is a reduction of more than 99.9 percent since the 1980s, when the world saw about 1,000 cases per day. This website provides the latest figures for 2017:
http://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-now/this-week/
"More than one million Rotary members have donated their time and personal resources to end polio. Every year, hundreds of Rotary members work side-by-side with health workers to vaccinate children in polio-affected countries. Rotary Members work with UNICEF and other partners to prepare and distribute mass communication tools to reach people in areas isolated by conflict, geography, or poverty. Rotary members also recruit fellow volunteers, assist with transporting the vaccine, and provide other logistical support.
It is World Polio Day on Tuesday the 24th October 2017.
Laurie Glossop
President