PolioPlus - Rotary International's Worldwide Campaign

Rotary committed to eradicating polio

​World Polio Day in October will see Rotarians around the world mark historic progress toward a polio-free world and renew their commitment to eradicating the vaccine-preventable disease once and for all. 

Visit https://endpolio.org/  to learn more about Rotary and the fight to eradicate polio. ​​

When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of the paralyzing disease in 125 countries every year. Today, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent, and just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Rotary remains committed to the end.

With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners aim to sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk. 

Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.  

Rotary has contributed more than $2.2 billion to ending polio, including thousands of pounds donated by Maidenhead Rotary Club. 

​Members of the club have raised awareness of the battle against the disease for World Polio Day by planting thousands of purple crocuses in Maidenhead. The colour signifies the purple dye used to mark the little fingers of children who have been vaccinated on mass immunisation days. ​Volunteers from the club have also travelled to India to help in vaccine programmes.

Rotarians will be planting purple crocuses in October for World Polio Day