Read about Putney Rotary Club’s campaign in the Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) Polio Team newsletter – November 2020.

The Challenge – Part 1

October 24 is World Polio Day. For the last 35 years, Rotary Clubs around the world have worked with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the WHO, UNICEF and many other partners and NGOs to end polio in the world.

Putney Rotary Club wanted to raise awareness of polio in our community, and raise funds for the global campaign to end polio.

Rotary’s World Polio Eradication Initiative

Globally, more than 2.5 billion children have been protected against the disease, which have reduced the number of cases by 99.9% from around 1,000 cases per day in 125 countries. Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts and thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation every £1 we raise is matched 2-to-1 so is worth £3.

This vaccine preventable disease still threatens children in parts of the world today. If polio is not eradicated, it is estimated that, within 10 years, as many as 200,000 children annually all over the world could succumb to polio, including here in the UK.

Donate at any time via https://www.endpolio.org/donate

For the History of Rotary’s work in polio eradication, please read about it at Rotary International.