Polio Plus is a Signature Program of The Rotary Foundation 

PolioPlus is Rotary’s priority program which supports global efforts to eradicate polio. It was launched in 1985, with the help of Dr. Albert Sabin, developer of the oral polio vaccine, as a worldwide program to protect children from the cruel and fatal consequences of polio. In 1988, the World Health Assembly challenged the world to eradicate polio, and since that time, Rotary’s efforts, along with partner agencies, including the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and governments around the world have achieved a 99 percent reduction in the number of polio cases worldwide.

As of 2018-19, The Rotary Foundation has raised over US$1.6 billion for polio eradication. By the time the world is certified polio-free, our contributions will make Rotary the largest non-governmental financial contributor to the global polio eradication effort.

ROTARY’S POLIO CHALLENGE

Since 2013, the Gates Foundation has matched every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication 2-to-1. In January 2020, the Gates Foundation announced that they will continue to match 2:1 every new dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication up to $50 million per year through 2023!

Rotary has contributed more than $2 billion to fight polio, including matching funds from the Gates Foundation, and countless volunteer hours since launching its polio eradication program, PolioPlus, in 1985.

OUR ROTARY SUCCESS WITH THE POLIO PLUS CAMPAIGN

Because of Rotarian support, more than 2.5 billion children have received polio vaccines and have been protected against this crippling disease for life. There are currently only two countries that are endemic: Afghanistan and Pakistan. We must not stop our efforts until we give the children a Polio Free world!

Will you help The Rotary Foundation make history by eradicating Polio from our planet? Give today at endpolio.org.