Partnering to

End Polio

Polio is history throughout much

of the world—a distant memory

for some, a photo in a textbook

for others. For more than 25 years,

Rotary International has played a

major role in the fight to end polio

worldwide. More recently, the Bill

& Melinda Gates Foundation joined

Rotary International and Global

Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)

partners in the fight to achieve this

ambitious but important goal. Thanks

to the strong commitment by Rotary

International, the Gates Foundation,

and GPEI partners, we are “this

close” to eradicating the disease and

ensuring that parents and children

worldwide will never have to fear this

vaccine-preventable disease.

Rotary International and the Gates

Foundation collaborate to raise the

profile of polio, hold governments

accountable for their commitments to

polio eradication, and secure funding

for polio eradication activities. Both

organizations have led by example by

investing over $1 billion (U.S.) each to

support the effort.

To support Rotary International’s

PolioPlus program, the Gates

Foundation issued a challenge grant of

$355 million, which Rotary pledged to

match with $200 million by June 2012.

Rotarians exceeded the fundraising

goal ahead of schedule, prompting an

additional commitment of $50 million

from the Gates Foundation to extend

the partnership.

Since 1988, the incidence of polio

has fallen by 99 percent. In 2011,

there were fewer than 700 reported

cases of polio, and in February

2012, India was removed from the

list of polio endemic countries.

India’s achievement is the most

recent demonstration that polio

can be conquered in even the most

challenging environments.

The world would not be where it is without Rotary, and it won’t get where it needs to be without Rotary.

– Bill Gates

Bill Gates meets with Rotarians in Chad during a trip to N’Djamena in 2011.

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

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

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.

Jeff Raikes at the 2012 Rotary International Assembly.

In the fall of 2011, Bill Gates met with Rotarians in Nigeria to donate

items for a polio fundraiser.

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.

– Jeff Raikes

Bill Gates at the 2009 Rotary International Assembly.