Partnering to
End Polio
Bill Gates meets with Rotarians in Chad during a trip to N’Djamena in 2011.
P
olio is history throughout much
profile of polio, hold governments
cases of polio, and in February
of the world—a distant memory
accountable for their commitments to
2012, India was removed from the
for some, a photo in a textbook
polio eradication, and secure funding
list of polio endemic countries.
for others. For more than 25 years,
for polio eradication activities. Both
India’s achievement is the most
Rotary International has played a
organizations have led by example by
recent demonstration that polio
major role in the fight to end polio
investing over $1 billion (U.S.) each to
can be conquered in even the most
worldwide. More recently, the Bill
support the effort.
challenging environments.
& Melinda Gates Foundation joined Rotary International and Global
To support Rotary International’s
Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)
PolioPlus program, the Gates
partners in the fight to achieve this
Foundation issued a challenge grant of
ambitious but important goal. Thanks
$355 million, which Rotary pledged to
to the strong commitment by Rotary
match with $200 million by June 2012.
International, the Gates Foundation,
Rotarians exceeded the fundraising
and GPEI partners, we are “this
goal ahead of schedule, prompting an
close” to eradicating the disease and
additional commitment of $50 million
ensuring that parents and children
from the Gates Foundation to extend
worldwide will never have to fear this
the partnership.
vaccine-preventable disease.
The world would not be where it is without Rotary, and it won’t get where it needs to be without Rotary.
Since 1988, the incidence of polio Rotary International and the Gates
has fallen by 99 percent. In 2011,
Foundation collaborate to raise the
there were fewer than 700 reported
– Bill Gates
However, three countries— Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan— have never stopped the transmission of the wild poliovirus and continue to put the world at risk of reinfection. Failure to eradicate polio could lead to
Jeff Raikes at the 2012 Rotary International Assembly.
Bill Gates at the 2009 Rotary International Assembly.
Rotary has an incredible asset in its brand, which stands for character, integrity, and passion for service. But most importantly it has an asset of 1.2 million people who have and continue to use their voices and talents to help end polio.
the paralysis of as many as 200,000 children per year. Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are dedicated to working together until the day polio is consigned to the history books. _
To help us end polio now: www.endpolio.org www.gatesfoundation.org/ endpolio
– Jeff Raikes
In the fall of 2011, Bill Gates met with Rotarians in Nigeria to donate items for a polio fundraiser.
Bill Gates with Rotarians from the United States on the steps of the United States Capitol Building on World Polio Day 2011.
In 2009, Bill Gates, Sr. introduced his son as an honorary Rotarian of the Seattle, Washington club.