Rotary members in Hawai‘i mark progress toward polio-free world
Rotary members throughout Hawai‘i are taking action this October in honor of World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world.
Polio anywhere is a threat everywhere.
Rotarians in Hawai‘i have long worked to help eradicate this paralyzing virus, which could become only the second human disease ever eliminated.
Without complete eradication, polio remains just a plane ride away from the Aloha State.
Rotary clubs are joining with community partners and organizations to raise funds in support of World Polio Day and the worldwide eradication effort.
Visit the Rotary District 5000 website for details about fundraising events happening through Hawai’i.
Rotary has contributed more than $2.9 billion and countless volunteer hours to fight polio since 1985 when it launched its PolioPlus program. The organization then partnered in 1988 with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
The Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, later joined.
There were an estimated 350,000 cases of polio each year at that time. The number of cases has since been reduced by more than 99.9%.
To sustain this progress and continue reaching every child with the polio vaccine, Rotary has committed to raising up to $50 million each year, with the Gates Foundation pledging a 2-to-1 match through 2029, resulting in up to $150 million annually.
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- Photo Courtesy
Rotary unites a global network of 1.2 million members in more than 45,000 clubs, all dedicated to tackling many of the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.
Rotarians in Hawai‘i and around the globe work to improve lives locally while supporting international efforts, including the fight to end polio.
Visit the Rotary International website, Rotary End Polio Now website or Hawai‘i’s Rotary District 5000 website for additional information.
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