Rotary's Polio challenge

Posted by Hans (J) Berkel

In 1985 Rotary International took on the challenge of eradicating polio worldwide. In collaboration with WHO and the CDC, Rotarians have contributed US$ 850 million towards this cause. In addition countless volunteers hours have been spend by Rotarians to give the polio vaccine to over two billion children in 122 countries. Currently polio is only endemic in four countries : India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Rotarians are determined to "finish the job" and make this world polio free.

Only once before has the world been succesful in eradicating a disease... smallpox. Rotarians are determined to make polio the second disease to be "wiped out" from the face of this earth. In a recent statement, Bill Gates Jr. announced that his foundation would contribute another US$ 255 million to Rotary for their polio eradication campaign. This brings the total contribution from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to over US$ 400 million. Rotarians have pledged to match this amount with US$ 200 million of their own contributions by June 2012. With these monetary contributions and the contributions from the governments of Great Britain and Germany the financial resources are available to "finish the job". Rotarians are determined to vaccinate the children in the remaining four countries where polio is endemic and forever prevent the suffering from this disease. Regular National Immunization Days (NIDs) are organized during which Rotarians, in collaboration with WHO field workers, vaccinate thousands of children. We can not predict when the battle will be over, but we will win the war against polio!!