The PolioPlus Message

Rotary's top philanthropic goal is to stop the transmission of the poliovirus by 2005.

A crippling and sometimes deadly disease, polio still threatens children in six countries in Africa and Southeast Asia (Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Niger, Nigeria and Pakistan).
For as little as US .60 cents worth of oral polio vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life.

Tremendous progress has been made toward ending polio worldwide.

In the 1980's, 1,000 children were infected by this crippling disease every day in 125 countries
In the two decades since Rotary and its global partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, polio cases have been slashed by 99 percent. Fewer than 800 cases were reported in six countries in 2003. (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Niger, Nigeria and Egypt)
India is very close to driving out polio, with only 81 cases in the region so far this year compared with 179 by the same date last year.

Though great progress has been made in Asia, much work remains in west and central Africa.

Africa accounts for approximately 90 percent of all polio cases this year. The vast majority of polio cases are now in Nigeria with 678 out of a total 918 cases.
This is mostly due to an eleven-month suspension of polio immunization activities in Kano, Nigeria, which has resulted in the importation of the virus in 12 previously polio-free countries.
Polio has also spread to Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Sudan and Togo.
This resurgence of polio in Sub-Saharan Africa is the single biggest threat to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Rotary and its global partners are taking action

To avert a public health tragedy, 23 African nations are currently synchronizing mass immunization campaigns with the goal of reaching over 80 million children in Africa's largest ever coordinated health initiative for children.
The first round of campaigns were conducted from 8-12 October and the second from 18-22 November. Participating countries include: Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Togo, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Senegal & Sierra Leone.
A third round will be conducted in Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger and Togo from 13-19 December.

Only three African nations are polio-endemic, which include Egypt, Niger and Nigeria, compared with 46 countries in 1996.
With all Nigerian states now participating in immunization campaigns, we have our best opportunity to stop the virus for good during these mass immunization campaigns.
It is anticipated that the last cases of polio will occur in 2005, followed by global certification three years later.

Rotary clubs around the world have contributed to the goal of eradicating polio.

Rotary members have donated their time and money to help immunize more than 2 billion children in 122 countries.
Rotary is the largest private supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. By the time the world is certified polio-free, Rotary's contributions to the global polio eradication effort will exceed US$600 million.
In addition to raising and contributing funds, Rotary has provided an army of volunteers to promote and assist during national immunization campaigns. Rotary members assist with vaccine delivery, social mobilization, and administer the oral polio vaccine to children.
Rotary's community-based leadership, volunteer support and initial funding for vaccine were the catalyst for the World Health Assembly's resolution in 1988 to eradicate polio.

Rotary will continue the fight until the world is certified polio-free and every child is safe from this devastating disease.

Once eradicated, polio will be the second disease after smallpox ever to be eliminated worldwide.
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world.