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History of PolioPlusRotary's involvement in polio eradication began in 1979 with a five-year
commitment to provide and help deliver polio vaccine to six million children of
the Philippines. It was the first
In the early 1980s, Rotary began planning for the most ambitious program in its history — to immunize all of world's children against polio. The plan required collaboration with international, national, and local health agencies. With the advice and support of the late Dr. Albert Sabin, developer of the oral polio vaccine, Rotary established its PolioPlus program in 1985. Rotary's pledge of US$120 million to fund its PolioPlus program was announced in October 1985 at the 40th anniversary of the United Nations. This ambitious commitment electrified the global public health community. Within three years, Rotarians had more than doubled their fundraising goal, donating US$247 million. Rotary's role in polio eradication initially was that of a catalyst, providing money for vaccine and volunteer support to overcome problems associated with distribution. A Rotary Foundation grant funded a core group of polio experts at the World Health Organization (WHO), who have guided the global program. In more recent years, PolioPlus funds have funded transportation and other operational costs associated with vaccine delivery, surveillance efforts (including laboratory needs) to identify areas where the virus circulates, and training for healthcare workers and volunteers involved in the immunization process. In 1995, Rotary launched a task force to advocate polio eradication to donor governments, resulting in more than $1.5 billion in polio-specific grants from the public sector. In 2000, Rotary teamed up with the United Nations Foundation to carry a financial appeal to the private sector — foundations, corporations, and wealthy individuals. The private sector has contributed more than $100 million to eradication efforts. Adequate funding is the No. 1 obstacle to achieving a polio-free world. In February 2002, Rotary rose to the challenge once again, announcing a Polio Eradication Fundraising Campaign to raise US$80 million to contribute to the funding gap, estimated at US$275 million as of April 2002 by the World Health Organization. In support of Polio Eradication, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has made a three year $100 million matching grant to the Rotary Foundation. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is recognized worldwide as a model of public and private cooperation in pursuit of a humanitarian goal. And you can help by making a donation to PolioPlus. To learn more about PolioPlus and Rotary International, take a look at the Rotary International web site.
Rotarians have delivered vaccine by camels and helicopters, trucks and motorbikes, staffed immunization posts, raised community awareness of the value of immunization, and, in the process, helped to mobilize 10 million volunteers. |
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project of the new Health, Hunger, and Humanity (3-H) program. In the next four
years, similar five-year commitments were approved for Haiti, Bolivia, Morocco,
Sierra Leone, and Cambodia. 