Rotary and the goal of polio eradication

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(Conclusion)

The last three years have been pivotal in advancing the polio eradication effort, culminating in several major milestones. Among them are:

• Nearly two billion children have received oral polio vaccine in the last 10 years and are successfully protected from poliomyelitis.

• During 74 full National Immunization Days (NIDs), 16 Sub-National Immunization Days and seven "mopping-up" activities (going door-to-door to immunize children in remote areas where pockets of the disease still exist) conducted in 1999, over 50 million children received oral polio vaccine. This represents nearly 75 percent of all of the world’s children under the age of five.

• Since Rotary began the Polio Plus program, the number of polio-endemic countries has declined from over 125 in 1985 to 30 at the beginning of 2000.

• Since 1988, 10 percent of the world’s children lived in polio-free countries. As of Jan. 1, 2001, over 60 percent are living in polio-free countries.

• To date, 122 nations around the world have benefited from Polio Plus grants for polio immunization and eradication efforts.

Despite these encouraging developments, health officials warn that polio is still prevalent in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in highly populated countries. To reach the last reservoir of polio, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends four key strategies to attain polio eradication:

• Maintain high levels of routine immunization coverage;

• Conduct NIDs for children under age of five;

• Implement and maintain a rigorous system and laboratory network; and

• Implement "mop-up" efforts when necessary.

WHO reports that polio outbreaks still occur in areas with weak health infrastructure attributed primarily to years of civil conflicts and lack of government commitment.

As the polio eradication program enters the final and most difficult phase, there is a dire need for greater political will in light of a critical shortfall of funding. It is estimated that over $1 billion is needed from donors through 2005 to eradicate polio, of which approximately $600 million has already been pledged. The current estimated funding shortfall is $400 million.

Recognizing the urgency of the advocacy role, trustees of The Rotary Foundation authorized the appointment of a Polio Eradication Advocacy Task Force. Its principal job is to coordinate Rotary members’ efforts to convince national governments and other funding sources of the urgency, the need and the benefits of investing the necessary funds to meet the extraordinary costs of polio eradication.

According to WHO, polio eradication would save the world $1.5 billion annually by eliminating the need for routine polio immunization. Since 1995, Rotary’s Polio Eradication Advocacy Task Force has played a major role in decisions by donor governments in polio-free countries to contribute over $900 million for the eradication of polio.

In addition to these advocacy efforts, The Rotary Foundation recently entered into an agreement with the United Nations Foundation, founded by R.E. (Ted) Turner, to help raise the necessary funds to eradicate polio.

Rotary’s Polio Plus program has evolved through the organization’s 20-year drive to eliminate one of the most dreaded diseases of all time. In addition to international advocacy to secure outside donor funding, the Rotary also created Polio Plus Partners, an alternative funding mechanism, in 1995 to provide Rotary volunteers at the local level an opportunity to participate in the final and most challenging years of polio eradication.

Rotarians and The Rotary Foundation have contributed over $25 million to Polio Plus Partners for social mobilization, laboratory, surveillance and other polio eradication projects. Donations range from $100 to $100,000 and are used to purchase much-needed surveillance supplies and promotional items to mobilize communities during NIDs.

Rotary members are doing everything in their power to ensure that polio does not make a comeback and derail the eradication goal. As one WHO official points out, "Unlike many diseases, we have the technology right now to eradicate polio. Never again will we be closer to our goal than we are today."

The world stands firmly on the threshold of victory. Thanks to the achievement of the last two decades, nearly two billion children have received the oral polio vaccine and are successfully protected against the disease. UNICEF estimates that three million children who might have been polio victims are today playing and walking normally due to the efforts of Rotary International and its global partners.

What finer gift can we give the children of the next century than a world without polio!

(Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional men and women who render service to communities, encourage high ethical standards in business and profession, and promote international understanding, goodwill and peace.

The author is a past Rotary International director and a current member of the Polio Plus Speakers Bureau and a major donor to the Rotary Foundation.)