The Rotary Clubs of Fergus-Elora and Centre Wellington have proclaimed Oct. 24 as Polio Eradication Day in the community.
In 1985, the Rotary launched its Polio Plus program and spearheaded the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF to immunize the children of the world against polio.
To date the Rotary has contributed more than $1 billion U.S. and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries.
In the last 10 years, local Rotary clubs, Fergus-Elora and Centre Wellington have contributed over $200,000 with a minimum annual donation of $6,000. This money helps sponsor service projects to address such critical issues as poverty, health, hunger and illiteracy.
They also provide much needed operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment and educational materials for health workers and parents.
Cases of polio have dropped 99 per cent since 1988 and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease.
In 2013 the Bill and Melinda’s Gates Foundation said they would match two-to-one, additional funds, up to $35 million U.S. per year for every dollar Rotary commits to reduce the funding shortfall for polio eradication through 2018.
