End Polio Now
End Polio Now
The world has never been closer to ending polio for good. Since making a pledge to eradicate polio in 1985, Rotary International, together with partner health agencies, has brought down the number of cases by 99 per cent, putting polio on the brink of being only the second disease ever to be completely eradicated.
There are now only three polio endemic countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, and with a simple immunisation, children can be prevented from ever contracting this debilitating and potentially fatal illness.
Polio is a crippling disease that can lead to limbs of the victim becoming limp and disfigured, and in some cases can cause paralysis and even death.
What is polio? Find out more here.
Rotary International has been working with partner organisations to administer immunisations across the world, and during national immunisation days, many millions of children can be protected from polio.
But more needs to be done if we are to succeed in ending polio for good. During a recent United Nations (UN) event in New York, world leaders committed themselves to the fight against polio, while Rotary International pledged a further $75 million, on top of the $1.2 billion it has already invested, to provide children with all of the vaccines they need.
Want to help? Make a donation or get involved with your local Rotary club.
But it’s not just world leaders who can make a difference. Ordinary Rotarians are donating their time and money to travel across the world to immunise children across India, Pakistan and Africa, and they couldn’t do this without donations.
Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland
Rotary clubs in Great Britain and Ireland have donated more than £19 million (US$30 million) to polio immunisation initiatives. Rotary members worldwide have, so far, raised US $900 million to fund polio immunisation activities and every penny raised goes to the project. Rotarians all work on a purely voluntary basis so funds are not drained away in administration costs.
British Rotarians will be making another self funded immunisation trip to India in November 2012 and again in November 2013, and everybody is welcome to help either through donations or by assisting in Rotary events.
You Can Help
The work they carry out is vital in the fight to end polio, and you can help by either making a donation or getting involved with your local Rotary club’s activities.
You can find out more about the fight against polio on the End Polio Now website. You can also make a donation to help Rotary in the fight against polio, or you can join or volunteer with your local Rotary club.