Libertyville Sunrise Rotary works to help eradicate polio

Libertyville Sunrise Rotary members are taking action on World Polio Day, Oct. 24, to raise awareness, funds and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.

When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. Today, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent and just two countries continue to report any cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Rotary has contributed more than $2.2 billion to ending polio since 1985, including $44,000 donated by the Libertyville Sunrise Rotary Club.

With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners must sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Rotary has committed to raising $50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.

The Libertyville Sunrise Rotary Club meets Wednesdays both in-person and virtually on Zoom at 7 a.m. For information, click portal.clubrunner.ca/2389 or check Facebook.com/LibertyvilleSunriseRotary.

Visit endpolio.org to learn more about Rotary and the fight to eradicate polio.