Rotary and the End of Polio
In 1985, Rotary International launched PolioPlus, the world's first and largest privately funded polio eradication initiative. When the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was formed in 1988, Rotary was a founding partner alongside the WHO, UNICEF, the CDC, and national governments around the world.
Today, wild poliovirus has been eliminated from all but two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan. Nigeria was certified wild polio-free in 2020, a historic milestone in which District 9127 played an active part. Across our 16 states and the FCT, Rotary clubs contributed to immunisation drives, surveillance activities, and community mobilisation that helped sustain Nigeria's polio-free status.
Every dollar donated to PolioPlus is matched 2-to-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, tripling the real-world impact of every contribution made by Rotarians and the public.
How PolioPlus Works
Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) Distribution
Funding the purchase and delivery of oral polio vaccine doses to children in high-risk countries.
National Immunisation Days
Supporting government-led mass vaccination campaigns reaching millions of children simultaneously.
Surveillance Networks
Funding disease surveillance to rapidly detect and respond to new poliovirus cases.
Cold Chain Infrastructure
Maintaining refrigeration systems to ensure vaccine integrity from storage to delivery point.
Community Mobilisation
Training community volunteers to identify under-vaccinated children and engage hesitant parents.
Post-Eradication Preparedness
Building laboratory and response capacity to contain any future outbreak.
World Polio Day — October 24
Each year on October 24, Rotary marks World Polio Day to raise awareness and funds for polio eradication. District 9127 marks the occasion with fundraising events, public awareness campaigns, and Rotarian engagement activities.
Donate Locally
Every contribution is matched 2-to-1 by the Gates Foundation, tripling your impact toward a polio-free world.
Donate NowGive via Rotary.org
Donate directly through the global PolioPlus fund and support the worldwide effort to end polio.
Give via Rotary.org