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Polio is a highly infectious disease that primarily affects children under the age of three and can cause paralysis within
hours.
Before eradication efforts began in 1988, polio paralyzed more than 1,000 children a day, which totaled about 350,000
children annually. The incidence of polio has since declined by more than 99 percent.
Vaccinations easily can prevent polio. Vaccinations have prevented an estimated 500,000 children per year from contracting
polio. A child can be protected against polio for as little as 60 cents (US) worth of vaccine.
Only four countries are still polio endemic; an all-time low: Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Rotary International is the spearheading member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and is the largest private
sector donor. It has contributed more than US $600 million to the polio eradication activities in 122 countries. In addition,
tens of thousands of Rotarians have partnered with their national ministries of health, UNICEF, the World Health Organization,
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and with health providers at the grassroots level in thousands of communities.
A polio-free world is within our grasp.
Rotary's ongoing efforts to achieve Rotary International's and its Foundation's goal of the certification of the eradication
of the wild poliovirus. This support includes the provision of quality education and information to promote the efforts of
Rotarians directly involved in polio eradication activities, and the membership at large; facilitation of interaction, particularly
between Rotarians in polio free and polio affected countries, collaboration with Rotary partners in the Polio Eradication
Initiative, and grants to Rotarians and partner organizations.
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