Welcome to the End Polio Now pages
End Polio Now is the most ambitious programme in Rotary's history. For more than 30 years Rotary has led the global effort to rid the world of this crippling disease.
Nearly 3 billion children have been vaccinated,
preventing more than 18 million people being paralysed. More than 650,000
paralytic cases of polio are now prevented every year. More than 1.8 million childhood deaths have been prevented.
Once polio is eradicated, the world will be able to celebrate a major global advantage that will benefit all children, whatever their origins.
The goal of a polio free world is tantalisingly close. Wild polio virus types 2 and 3 have been eradicated. The eradication of Type 3 was announced this year on World Polio Day. Only in Pakistan and remote parts of Afghanistan is the Wild Type 1 polio virus circulating.
It's official - The WHO Africa Region has been declared wild polio-free!
Today, 25th August 2020, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Africa region, has officially been certified free from wild poliovirus , signifying a major milestone in the battle to eradicate the disease worldwide.
This progress is the result of a decades-long effort across the 47 countries which make up the WHO’s African region and now means that five of the six WHO regions, which represent 90% of the world’s population, will be free of wild polio.
Rotary members have played an invaluable role in the effort to rid the African region of wild polio.
By raising funds for polio eradication, advocating with world governments and national and local leaders, and raising awareness, Rotarians have contributed nearly US $890 million to conquer polio in the region.
Well done to all concerned!
Below are links to leaflets and fact sheets. You can click on each one to download it. The first two are also available to buy from the End Polio Now Guernsey website
Click here for a useful Basic Fact Sheet
Click here for a useful information leafletClick here for a Polio Fact Sheet
Click here for the latest Summary of Facts and Figures
Latest Position for 2020 (as at 28th October 2020)
Afghanistan and Pakistan are now treated as a single area
116 cases of wild polio (WPV1) - an increase of 3 from last week. Last year at this time there were 73 cases.
339 cVDPV cases
A new oral vaccine is undergoing advanced clinical trials and is likely to be in use later this year. This new vaccine will eliminate the risk of vaccine derived polio and is yet another big step towards complete eradication.
Final position for 2019
147 WPV1 cases in Pakistan
29 WPV1 cases in Afghanistan
365 cVDPV cases
Final position for 2018
21 WPV1 cases in Afghanistan
12 WPV1 cases in Pakistan
20 cases of cVDPV in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 13 in Somalia, 32 in Nigeria, 8 in Niger, 26 in Papua New Guinea and 1 in Mozambique.
Final position for 2017
8 WPV1 cases in Pakistan
14 WPV1 cases in Afghanistan
22 cases of cVDPV in the Democratic Republic of Congo and 74 cases of cVDPV in Syria. To read a full account of cVDPV in Syria, click here. To read a summary, click here
How can you help?Here is a link to more information about the campaign and how you can donate
There are some links to specific fund raising initiatives for End Polio Now on the menu on the right.
Guernsey Rotary Club End Polio Now shop. Click here to buy bears, clothing and lots of items you can sell to raise funds
To learn more about eradicating polio go to the RI website for polio eradication or the official website of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
more Clubs are invited to hold a Purple Pinkie Day
more Purple4Polio is RotaryGBI's campaign to publicise polio eradication
more Polio would be only the second human disease ever eradicated. This page tells Rotary Clubs, Rotarians and members of the public where to go to donate.
more This page has details of why we wear crocus buttonholes and how to order a supply.
more Could your Club illuminate a building with the End Polio Now or Purple4Polio logo? Find out how to do it here
more There are many excellent videos that tell the story of polio eradication throughout the world. This page provides links to a selection of recent ones.
more How do we reach the final goal of complete eradication? A polio free world is in sight as a major new step forward is taken in 155 countries.
more The Breathe film about polio survivor Andew Cavendish is available to Clubs for showing under certain conditions
more The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have pledged more matching funds to Rotary International for polio eradication.