That may seem a daunting task, but Rotary's track record shows it can be done with perseverance and hard work. Since launching its landmark PolioPlus Program in 1985, the volunteer service organization already has contributed more than $700 million to the cause, not to mention countless volunteer hours logged by Rotary members.
Two Torquay members have visited India to participate in the immunisation program - Trevor Brown and Maggie Isom.
Although the polio epidemic may be a distant memory to many-- cases have been slashed by 99 percent worldwide -- it still threatens children in parts of Africa and South Asia.
Indeed, for as little as 60 cents worth of oral polio vaccine, a child can be protected for life. However, a major funding gap now faces the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, of which Rotary is a spearheading partner (along with the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF). Twenty years of steady progress is at stake, and polio -- now on the ropes -- stands to stage a dangerous comeback unless the funding gap is bridged.
In response to the funding crisis, Rotary eagerly accepted a challenge from the Gates Foundation to match, dollar-for-dollar, a $100 million grant over three years, raising a much needed $200 million, all of it dedicated to polio eradication.
Rotary's worldwide membership of 1.2 million men and women -- representing about 33,000 clubs in nearly 200 countries -- immediately embraced the effort by digging deeper into their own pockets, planning special fundraisers and rallying community support. Rotary invites everyone who wants to learn more about this historic opportunity to end polio once and for all to visit www.rotary.org/endpolio. |
