Current Status: 9 cases reported this year. 6 Afghanistan 3 Pakistan Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 40 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. Rotary members have contributed over $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort. Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year! Join us for lunch and a fun afternoon of Rotary fellowship as we launch the Rotary District 9810 & 9820 PolioPlus Society! Special guest speaker Dr Murray Verso, Rotary International Zone 8 End Polio Now Coordinator, will update us on the fight to end polio and remind us why it is important to finish polio for good. For further information, please get in touch with District Foundation Chair Mark Humphries: mark.humphries@rotary9820.org.au  |
