Rotary International

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World Polio Day: Rotary Nears Halfway Mark in US$200 Million Challenge

Friday 23rd of October 2009 12:28

A highly infectious disease, polio causes paralysis and is sometimes fatal. As there is no cure, the best protection is prevention. For as little as US 60 cents worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life. After an international investment of US$6.22 billion, and the successful engagement of over 200 countries and 20 million volunteers, polio could be the first disease of the 21st century to be eradicated.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). It includes the support of governments and private sector donors.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. It is comprised of 1.2 million members working in more than 33,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographic regions.

Rotary invites the public to support the polio eradication initiative by visiting rotary.org/endpolio. Cell phone users can donate $5 by texting the word "polio" to 90999.

For further information, visit www.rotary.org/endpolio or www.polioeradication.org. For photo and video please visit www.thenewsmarket.com/rotaryinternational.

SOURCE Rotary International

Source PR Newswire


www.prnewswire.co.uk

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