The World Health Organisation has recently declared Africa polio free.
For that to happen, not a single case had to be recorded in Africa for four years. For more than 30 years Rotary and its partners have driven the campaign to eradicate polio worldwide.
Rotary members have contributed $1.2-billion and countless volunteer hours to protect more than 2.5 billion children around the world from this debilitating disease.
Rotary clubs’ efforts have played a key role in governments contributing more than $10-billion to the effort.
Before 1988 more than
350 000 new cases of polio occurred worldwide every year. This figure has now been reduced by 99.9%.
Last year fewer than 30 cases were reported in the world. In fact, the only two countries where polio is still prevalent are Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Political instability, highly mobile populations, difficult terrain, vaccine refusal and misinformation are some of the unique challenges Rotary faces in the ongoing fight to eliminate the disease.
Rotary International has committed to raising $50-million per year to help eradicate polio.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that two for one.
These funds provide much needed operational support for medical workers, provide laboratory equipment and educational material.
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