Rotary is releasing $40.3 million in grants to support polio immunization activities in 10 countries, including Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan, three countries where the disease has never been stopped.
The funds will help build on gains Rotary and its partners have been making in the fight to eradicate polio. Nigeria hasn’t seen a polio case since 24 July and the World Health Organization could remove it from the list of polio-endemic countries as soon as September if no cases are reported. Nigeria would have to go another two years without a case to be certified polio-free.
But the progress is fragile, and much work remains to reach the goal of a polio-free world. Rotary’s funds announced this week include $9.9 million in Nigeria; $12.2 million in Pakistan, and $2.3 million in Afghanistan. In addition, the money will support immunization activities in countries still at risk including Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Niger, Somalia, and South Sudan.
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Rotary News 16-Jun-2015
