US Government Supports Polio Eradication
Posted by Bob Ruehl
on Feb 13, 2014
The United States government is funding polio eradication.
President Barack Obama signed an omnibus appropriations bill In January that provides $205 million to support polio eradication in 2014. The largest government donor to polio eradication, the U.S. has contributed more than $2.3 billion since the mid-1980s, when 125 countries were polio endemic and the disease afflicted 350,000 people annually. Today only Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are endemic, and in 2013, the combined incidence of polio in those countries fell to a record-low of 157 cases. Last month, India reached a three-year milestone without polio, paving the way for the entire Southeast Asia region to be free of the disease.
Rotary has not only raised $1.6 billion for the eradication, but it has helped secure over $9 billion from donor governments since 1988.
We are so close – Pakistan remains the only country with areas of uncontrolled transmission of polio. This year – 2014 – 7 cases have been reported and one in Afghanistan.
Give to End Polio Now and help Rotary advocate for a polio-free world.
Rotary has not only raised $1.6 billion for the eradication, but it has helped secure over $9 billion from donor governments since 1988.
We are so close – Pakistan remains the only country with areas of uncontrolled transmission of polio. This year – 2014 – 7 cases have been reported and one in Afghanistan.
Give to End Polio Now and help Rotary advocate for a polio-free world.