On Monday I leave for two weeks in Bangladesh to aid in their polio eradication program. Bill Gates has made a major award to the program which Rotary international will have to match. My expenses and those of the other 17 volunteers from the U.S., Canada and Europe are being paid by ourselves and receive no compensation from the Gates foundation. While in Bangladesh we will work with local Rotary members and to save hotel expenses will stay in their homes.
Other information on the program is provided below.
Gates Grant Key Messages
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded Rotary $100 million for polio eradication, which Rotary will match, dollar-for-dollar, over three years.
· Rotary will spend the initial $100 million within one year in direct support of polio immunization activities carried out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
· This challenge grant is one of the largest given by the Gates Foundation and it represents a tremendous validation of Rotary’s goal-oriented, business model approach to polio eradication.
· This $200 million infusion of funds comes at a critical juncture for the initiative, which is in urgent need of funds.
· Although polio cases have been slashed by 99 percent, the poliovirus still persists in four countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nigeria.
· The polio cases represented by the final one percent are the most difficult to prevent due to such factors as geographical isolation, poor public infrastructure, armed conflict and cultural barriers.
· The World Health Organization recently confirmed that all four remaining polio-endemic countries are on track to achieve eradication.
· We have the technical tools to beat polio and the means to reach all children. Health experts agree that the goal can be met, but only if the necessary resources are provided.
· We hope that this shared commitment of Rotary and the Gates Foundation will challenge other donors to step up and make sure we have the resources needed to eradicate polio.
PolioPlus
Rotary is committed to fighting polio until every child is safe from this devastating disease.
To date, Rotary has contributed $633 million, thousands of volunteers and millions of volunteer hours to achieve our goal of a polio-free world.
Rotary also reaches out to governments worldwide to obtain vital financial and technical support. Since 1995, donor governments have contributed more than 3 billion dollars to polio eradication, due in part to our advocacy efforts.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded Rotary $100 million for polio eradication, which Rotary will match, dollar-for-dollar, over three years.
· Rotary will spend the initial $100 million within one year in direct support of polio immunization activities carried out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
· This challenge grant is one of the largest given by the Gates Foundation and it represents a tremendous validation of Rotary’s goal-oriented, business model approach to polio eradication.
· This $200 million infusion of funds comes at a critical juncture for the initiative, which is in urgent need of funds.
· Although polio cases have been slashed by 99 percent, the poliovirus still persists in four countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nigeria.
· The polio cases represented by the final one percent are the most difficult to prevent due to such factors as geographical isolation, poor public infrastructure, armed conflict and cultural barriers.
· The World Health Organization recently confirmed that all four remaining polio-endemic countries are on track to achieve eradication.
· We have the technical tools to beat polio and the means to reach all children. Health experts agree that the goal can be met, but only if the necessary resources are provided.
· We hope that this shared commitment of Rotary and the Gates Foundation will challenge other donors to step up and make sure we have the resources needed to eradicate polio.
PolioPlus
Rotary is committed to fighting polio until every child is safe from this devastating disease.
To date, Rotary has contributed $633 million, thousands of volunteers and millions of volunteer hours to achieve our goal of a polio-free world.
Rotary also reaches out to governments worldwide to obtain vital financial and technical support. Since 1995, donor governments have contributed more than 3 billion dollars to polio eradication, due in part to our advocacy efforts.
Polio Questions and Answers
Q) What is Rotary International and how it is involved in global polio eradication?
Rotary is one of the largest and most influential international humanitarian service organizations in the world. Rotary club members are business and professional leaders who are committed volunteers working together to improve communities.
Rotary is the top private sector contributor and volunteer arm of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Q) Why did Rotary choose polio eradication as its main philanthropic goal?
In the 1980s, global health organizations were looking for ways to improve childhood immunizations worldwide. At the same time, many Rotary members saw the devastating consequences of polio in their own countries, and wanted to protect children from this preventable disease.
Together, these two forces sparked Rotary’s PolioPlus program.
Q) How did Rotary’s PolioPlus program get started?
In 1985, Rotary pledged to protect all children from polio, making that its primary focus after a successful pilot vaccination program in the Philippines.
Rotary’s initial financial support and global volunteer network provided the catalyst for the World Health Assembly's resolution in 1988 to eradicate polio.
Soon after, Rotary’s foresight sparked the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which is today spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Q) As the 2005 target date for eradicating polio has passed, and polio cases are still occurring, is global eradication really possible?
Yes. Since 1985, cases have been slashed by 99 percent, 5 million cases of paralysis have been prevented, and 250,000 pediatric deaths from polio have been averted.
The strategies and tools are known, and health experts agree that the challenges to stopping the spread of polio can be met. Regardless of how long it takes, Rotary is committed until the world is certified polio-free, and every child is safe from this crippling and potentially fatal disease.
Failure to eradicate polio will result in an estimated 10 million paralyzed children in the next 40 years and will jeopardize the world’s US$5 billion global investment in the initiative.
Q) Which countries are still affected by polio?
Four countries including Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, are still considered polio-endemic. However, previously polio-free countries have reported polio cases in 2006 and 2007 due to the virus spreading from these four endemic countries.
Q) What is the major obstacle to eradicating polio?
The primary challenge is to halt the spread of the poliovirus in the remaining four endemic countries from where it can continue to be exported into polio-free areas.
Q) Is it really possible to immunize every child in high population or conflict afflicted countries?
Yes. Two hundred and ten countries, territories and areas are now polio-free (including China), and 134 of these, which contain half the world’s population, have been certified polio-free by independent commissions.
This proves that it is possible to immunize enough children through polio campaigns to stop transmission of the poliovirus anywhere.
Q) Will Rotary members continue the fight against polio if it continues to spread?
Yes. Rotary members are committed to protecting all children from polio. This year hundreds of Rotary members from the US, Canada, Australia and Europe will travel at their own expense to join fellow Rotarians in polio-affected countries to immunize children against polio during national campaigns.
Rotary will continue the fight until the world is certified polio-free and every child is safe from this devastating disease.
Q) Rotary is on the verge of eliminating polio. What will be Rotary’s next project?
Though great progress has been made toward ending polio, the last steps remain the most challenging. Rotary will remain focused on eliminating polio worldwide until the certification of eradication is achieved.
Q) What is Rotary International and how it is involved in global polio eradication?
Rotary is one of the largest and most influential international humanitarian service organizations in the world. Rotary club members are business and professional leaders who are committed volunteers working together to improve communities.
Rotary is the top private sector contributor and volunteer arm of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Q) Why did Rotary choose polio eradication as its main philanthropic goal?
In the 1980s, global health organizations were looking for ways to improve childhood immunizations worldwide. At the same time, many Rotary members saw the devastating consequences of polio in their own countries, and wanted to protect children from this preventable disease.
Together, these two forces sparked Rotary’s PolioPlus program.
Q) How did Rotary’s PolioPlus program get started?
In 1985, Rotary pledged to protect all children from polio, making that its primary focus after a successful pilot vaccination program in the Philippines.
Rotary’s initial financial support and global volunteer network provided the catalyst for the World Health Assembly's resolution in 1988 to eradicate polio.
Soon after, Rotary’s foresight sparked the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which is today spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Q) As the 2005 target date for eradicating polio has passed, and polio cases are still occurring, is global eradication really possible?
Yes. Since 1985, cases have been slashed by 99 percent, 5 million cases of paralysis have been prevented, and 250,000 pediatric deaths from polio have been averted.
The strategies and tools are known, and health experts agree that the challenges to stopping the spread of polio can be met. Regardless of how long it takes, Rotary is committed until the world is certified polio-free, and every child is safe from this crippling and potentially fatal disease.
Failure to eradicate polio will result in an estimated 10 million paralyzed children in the next 40 years and will jeopardize the world’s US$5 billion global investment in the initiative.
Q) Which countries are still affected by polio?
Four countries including Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, are still considered polio-endemic. However, previously polio-free countries have reported polio cases in 2006 and 2007 due to the virus spreading from these four endemic countries.
Q) What is the major obstacle to eradicating polio?
The primary challenge is to halt the spread of the poliovirus in the remaining four endemic countries from where it can continue to be exported into polio-free areas.
Q) Is it really possible to immunize every child in high population or conflict afflicted countries?
Yes. Two hundred and ten countries, territories and areas are now polio-free (including China), and 134 of these, which contain half the world’s population, have been certified polio-free by independent commissions.
This proves that it is possible to immunize enough children through polio campaigns to stop transmission of the poliovirus anywhere.
Q) Will Rotary members continue the fight against polio if it continues to spread?
Yes. Rotary members are committed to protecting all children from polio. This year hundreds of Rotary members from the US, Canada, Australia and Europe will travel at their own expense to join fellow Rotarians in polio-affected countries to immunize children against polio during national campaigns.
Rotary will continue the fight until the world is certified polio-free and every child is safe from this devastating disease.
Q) Rotary is on the verge of eliminating polio. What will be Rotary’s next project?
Though great progress has been made toward ending polio, the last steps remain the most challenging. Rotary will remain focused on eliminating polio worldwide until the certification of eradication is achieved.
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