Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. The Rotary Club of St. Catharines Lakeshore participated in a flag raising at City Hall along with Mayor Matt Siscoe, Rotary St. Catharines, Rotary Club of St. Catharines South and the Interact club to bring greater local awareness to help End Polio Now. In addition, local Rotary Clubs from across Niagara celebrated on the evening of October 26th with Niagara Falls itself illuminated in the distinctive colours of End Polio Now.
Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.
Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.
