Page 9 - Gears and Ears May 2013

From Rotary International

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Long-time donors Canada, Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom, as well as Nigeria, made new commitments,
and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi announced a second pledge to polio eradication of US$120 million, adding to his
first contribution made in 2011. A range of other donors, including the Islamic Development Bank, Ireland, and Japan,
helped round out the additional pledges.
Rotary, the initial donor to the GPEI, pledged its commitment through 2018 to raise funds and mobilize support of the
endgame strategy. “To stop polio once and for all, we need to act quickly so that children are fully protected and
countries are not re-infected,” said RI President Sakuji Tanaka. “This takes the commitment of national and local
leaders where polio still exists, the continued support of donor countries, and the steadfast commitment of heroic
vaccinators.”

Polio has decreased by 99 percent to just 22 cases this year (as of 24 April), and only three countries – Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Nigeria – remain endemic for the disease. Without eradication, however, the disease could come back and
paralyze more than 200,000 children worldwide every year within a decade.

The extensive polio eradication infrastructure established by the GPEI is also helping to fight measles, malaria, and
other diseases, along with aiding response to disaster-related health emergencies. After polio is eradicated, the
endgame plan calls for the transfer of the GPEI’s assets to ensure lasting public health benefits.

“After millennia battling polio, this plan puts us within sight of the endgame,” said World Health Organization Director-
General Margaret Chan. “The extensive experience, infrastructure and knowledge gained from ending polio can help
us reach all children and all communities with essential health services.”

• Become an advocate by contacting elected officials, business leaders, friends, and the press to encourage
support for eradicating polio.

• See the February edition of Global Outlook: A Rotarian’s Guide to Advocacy for Polio Eradication

• Download or video about advocacy for ending polio

• Be part of the World’s Biggest Commercial

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