Polio Plus

The Nechako Rotary Club recognized and celebrated the wonderful work and progress achieved by Rotary through out the world in the long battle to eradicate Polio, with the year 2000 as the expected date of achievement.

Rotarians Kelly Zammit and PDG Ron Neukomm took a few minutes to enlighten the Nechako Rotary Club membership of the long battle with some statistical benchmarks on our Rotary achievements in the battle against Polio.

Rotary"s fight to eradicate Polio throughout the world commenced in 1988, when they originally pledged to raise a whopping $300 Million dollars, which was deemed sufficient at that time to beat Polio Militias.

The original $300 Million dollars was raised in many ways, including the sale of Rotary Cook Books throughout the Rotary Clubs in BC.

The Battle against Polio has proved to be much more complicated and challenging than originally expected, with costs rising into the billions of dollars with the help of huge donations from around the world, including governments and charitable organizations such as the "Bill and Malinda Gates Society".

Polio Plus has become the biggest Project ever tackled by Rotary, but the fight has been rewarding as each year marks success in the eradication of Polio, with the exception of 2013, which saw a slight increase in the outbreak of Polio due to access problems in some remote areas.

Unfortunately, lives have been lost by a few Rotarians and Volunteers attempting to provide Polio Vaccine into some of these remote areas.

But the fight must, and will go on, as we move toward the entire eradication of Polio in the World.

Polio still lurks in three countries around the world.  Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.  We are that close to meeting our goal.

A further 5.5 Billion Dollars are needed to take the fight to a conclusion, with the greatest costs required to continue to reach into these remote and sometimes hostile areas.

The new target date to reach this conclusion is now 2018.

Rotary, Rotarians, Volunteers, Governments and gracious Sponsors are up for the fight, and we will succeed.

The "Polio Plus Program" will eradicate Polio in the World.