Rotarians globally have pledged “they will continue to raise funds and awareness until the world is certified free from polio”.There are 21 events anticipated to be held throughout New Zealand on and around the 2019 World Polio Day the 24th October to raise funds and arouse awareness.
Globally, the anticipation is that more than 5,000 events will be held by Rotary in 120 countries. New Zealand Rotarians together with the New Zealand Aid programme have contributed approximately US$ 8 million from 1988-2019 to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative ...
... including the most recent response to the PNG outbreak in 2018. Political advocacy throughout the Commonwealth remains a priority, especially towards the 2020 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be hosted by Rwanda. Given no outbreak of polio in the meantime, certification of the African region as being polio-free will be announced. Rotary’s involvement with Polio Eradication launched with a successful pilot project to immunise children in the Philippines in 1979.
Since 1985, polio eradication has been Rotary’s flagship project, with members donating time and money to help immunise more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. In addition to fundraising and advocacy efforts, many Rotary members join health workers in polio-affected countries to immunise children. Rotary members around the world advocate to ensure governments, the private sector and the general public are aware of the historic opportunity to eradicate polio and encourage them to provide the necessary financial and political support. Rotary worldwide has committed to raising US$50 million annually through 2023.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match Rotary’s commitment 2:1. Rotary has to date contributed more than US$1.9 billion dollars and committed countless volunteer hours to fight the disease. There are 235 Rotary clubs throughout New Zealand with a total of 7,450 members. They have contributed more than US$10.4 million to the Polio Eradication Initiative including more than US $6million provided by the New Zealand Government.