Rotary Boosts Polio Funding To End Polio

ROTARY BOOSTS FUNDING

Rotary General Secretary John Hewko announced an additional $40.4 million Rotary will direct to the fight against polio. More than $26 million will go to African countries to prevent the disease from returning. Rotary has also earmarked $5.3 million for India, $6.7 for Pakistan, and $400,000 for Iraq. Nearly $1 million will support immunization activities and surveillance. Since 1979, Rotary has contributed more than $1.5 billion to polio eradication.

“Our program this evening will show how far we have come -- and what we still have to do -- to slam the door on polio for good,” said Hewko. “Once we do, not only will we end the suffering of children from this entirely preventable disease -- we will also create a blueprint for the next major global health initiative and leave in place resources to protect the world’s health in the future.”