Rotary commits $35 million to fight polio

Following three recent reports of new cases of wild poliovirus in Nigeria, Rotary has announced a $35 million funding for the eradication of the disease in Nigeria and other at-risk countries.

Of the sum, $8.15million will go toward stemming the recent outbreak in Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad Basin River including northern Cameroon, southern Niger, the Central African Republic and Cameroon.

Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) are acting to immunize children in Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad Basin.  Nearly one-fourth of the funds ($8.15 million) will support the emergency response campaigns in this at-risk region, and last month Rotary provided $500,000 to immediately assist with the outbreak response.