End Polio Now

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.  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!

On 25th August 2020, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Africa region, was officially 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.

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

Latest position for 2021 (as at 14 December)

5 cases of WPV1 in Afghanistan and Pakistan

484 cVDPV cases

Final Position for 2020

182 cases of wild polio (WPV1)

 1057 cVDPV cases

A new oral 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

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