1. PolioPlus Global Update 24 October 2017
This presentation will provide an overview of the current status of global polio eradication and highlights the role that each of you plays in Rotary’s PolioPlus program. It is an exciting time in the global effort to eradicate polio but much work in fundraising, advocacy and raising awareness remains to be done before we reach the goal of a polio-free world.

2. Achievements & Challenges What Needs to be Done? Funding Requirements
Global Update
What is Polio?
Achievements & Challenges
What Needs to be Done?
Funding Requirements
Rotary’s Role
First, I’ll talk briefly about polio itself, recent achievements and challenges, and what still needs to be done. Then I’ll talk about the funding requirements and your roles in the effort.

3. What is Polio?
Polio is an ancient disease. It is an intestinal virus that is mostly spread from person-to-person contact, especially where hygiene is poor. It can cause irreversible paralysis, and sometimes death. It strikes mainly children under the age of 5.
On the far left, this picture of an Egyptian stele from around 1580 BC depicts a priest with polio.
The top-right photo is of a polio ward at the height of the polio epidemic in the 1950s and 1960s. These iron lungs were used for those whose lungs were paralyzed by polio.
The lower-right photos shows the effects of polio on children.
Today, polio paralyzes the world’s most vulnerable children living in the most challenging of circumstances in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as Nigeria.

4. GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD
Partners
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, UNICEF, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Rotary. And equally as important are the governments of the world-both donor, and polio-affected and high risk, whose support and leadership are needed to carry out polio immunization activities.
GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD

5. Polio Today
1988
In 1988, more than 350,000 people were stricken by polio, nearly 1,000 new polio cases every day.
Since the global initiative began almost 30 years ago, Rotary and it’s partners have reduced polio cases by more than 99.9% worldwide.
In 1988, 125 countries had polio cases, in 2017 there are only 3 endemic countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.
2017

6. Wild Polio cases 2013-2017 as of 24 October 2017
This slide illustrates the dramatic decline in polio cases over the past several years and indicates the progress we continue to make.
To date in 2017, 10 polio cases have been reported: Pakistan (4), Afghanistan (6).
There were only 37 cases of polio reported in 2016.
In 2014, we celebrated one of the world’s greatest achievements in global health: India being certified as polio-free. India was once considered the hardest place on earth to stop polio because of its dense population and challenges with sanitation. India’s success proves polio can be stopped in even the most challenging conditions.

7. The Broader Benefits of Polio Eradication
The polio eradication program is strengthening routine immunization and helping to respond to health emergencies around the world, particularly in conflict zones and fragile states.
In Bihar, India, routine immunization coverage increased from 31% in 2004 to over 80% in 2013.
In Somalia, the cold chain system that supports polio and measles immunization was revamped.
In Nigeria, lessons learned helped bring the Ebola outbreak to a close quickly.
Another achievement has been the documenting what might be called the “plus” in PolioPlus, that is the broader benefits of global polio eradication efforts to routine immunize systems and other health priorities.
For example, in the northern state of Bihar, polio eradication efforts helped boost routine immunization coverage from 31% to 80%.
And in Somalia, polio eradication funding helped revamp the cold chain system that supports both polio and measles immunization.
And in Nigeria, the knowledge and infrastructure we had developed for polio eradication helped end the Ebola outbreak in a very short period of time.

8. Challenges
Although with progress, there are also some remaining challenges…

9. Fragile Progress
Continuing detection of the polio virus in children and the environment
Persisting pockets of missed children in conflict countries and geographically remote areas
Maintaining political commitment
Securing financial resources
Sustaining progress to-date
In fact, progress continues to be fragile as the virus continues to circulate in key reservoir areas. An “all out” effort is underway to reach all children, including those that continue to be missed, and to maintain political commitment and financial support in the face of a waning disease, not only to sustain progress to date, but to finally eradicate polio. Failure to do so will result in up to 200,000 new cases every year within the next 10 years.

10. What Still Needs to be Done?
So, what still needs to be done? This is an important question, and one that you may be asked to answer. As we say, polio is only a plane ride away, so to protect the gains we have made and finally eradicate this crippling disease, polio immunization activities will need to continue and even intensify.
So what are we talking about?

11. Polio Immunization Campaigns & Surveillance Continues/Intensifies
Approximately
150,000
POLIO-FUNDED WORKERS
in up to 70 countries
Essential
DISEASE SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES
in more than 70 countries
More than
450 MILLION
CHILDREN
in up to 60 countries immunized every year
Over the next couple of years, hundreds of millions of children will continue to be immunized against polio to protect the gains we have made in up to 60 countries which requires over 150,000 polio workers all supported by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
And as cases continue to decline, methods to detect the disease are already intensifying by testing samples from people AND expanding activities to detect virus in sewer systems in an increasing number of high risk countries to be absolutely sure there is no poliovirus. If a virus is found in the sewage system, an expert committee of the partnership determines if an immunization response is needed.

12. Global Pledging Moment , Atlanta 2017
At the Atlanta Convention, Rotary, the Gates Foundation, governments and others pledged US$1.2 billion to carry out these activities.
Since that time, the United Kingdom made an additional pledge of £100 million.
US$1.2 B pledged
including US$450 million Rotary/Gates Commitment
+ another $150 in September, 2017 St

13. Fundraising Campaign
All Rotarians are encouraged to participate in the End Polio Now: Countdown to History fundraising campaign.

14. Countdown to History Launch New fundraising materials can be found at
Triple Impact
Countdown to History Launch
New fundraising materials can be found at
endpolio.org
End Polio Now: Countdown to History is the fundraising effort that was launched in Atlanta to fulfill the pledge we made with the Gates Foundation. Every US$1 dollar that Rotary commits to polio eradication (up to US$50 million per year) will be matched by US$2 dollars from the Gates Foundation.
This means that each year that Rotary commits US$50 million to polio eradication efforts, the Gates Foundation will contribute US$100 million to PolioPlus. Over a three year period this will equal US$450 million.

15. District goal = 20% of DDF Goal 2017-18 US$50 million
Countdown to History Goal for PolioPlus
District goal = 20% of DDF
Goal
US$50 million
Club goal = US$1500
Contributions of cash and District Designated Funds will help meet the goals of our fundraising campaign. Contributions to PolioPlus qualify for Paul Harris Fellow and Major Donor recognition.
All clubs are being asked to contribute at least US$1500 and Districts are being asked to contribute 20% of their DDF.
Districts that annually give 20% or more of the DDF to PolioPlus will receive certificates of appreciation, and district that give 20% of their DDF, dating back to until polio eradication is certified, will be recognized on a plaque at Rotary world headquarters. Districts have an opportunity to allocate “make-up” DDF until 30 June 2018.

16. Where the Money Goes
Rotary polio grants support immunization and surveillance activities implemented by Rotary’s partners UNICEF and the World Health Organization. To date, Rotary has contributed more than $1.7 billion to fight polio.
I am often asked, and you may receive similar questions, about what Rotary is funding with the money we raise. This info graphic shows the distribution of Polio Plus grants made to WHO and UNICEF recently approved by the Rotary Foundation Trustees. Note that many of the countries on this map are polio-free, but are still carrying out polio immunization activities to protect their children from polio as the virus continues to circulate in the world. Note that there is very limited funding for vaccines.
Our funding goes to support the activities and people needed to implement polio immunization campaigns including items such as vehicles, cold boxes, megaphones, trained vaccinators, and campaign monitors.

17. Rotary Polio Grants – Top 10 recipients US$ millions
Where the Money Goes
Rotary Polio Grants – Top 10 recipients US$ millions
Recipient
WHO
UNICEF
Other
TOTAL 1
Nigeria 81
126 27
234 2
WHO-AFRO
183 3
India 77 88 15
180 4
Pakistan 74 76 5
155
Afghanistan 41 75
116 6
Sudan 38 40 78 7
WHO-EMRO 58 8
DR Congo 17 30 47 9
Somalia 25 10
Chad 23
This chart reflects the top 10 recipients of PolioPlus grants since the program started. You can see here that our funds are going to the highest priority endemic and at-risk countries and regions.

18. Advocate
Specially appointed Rotary National Advocacy Advisors and National PolioPlus Committee Chairs have the responsibility to advocate to governments for funding and political support for polio eradication. However, all Rotarians have a role to play in advocating for achieving a polio-free world.

19. Polio Affected & High Risk Countries
Political commitment is essential to achieving a polio-free world. Polio eradication must be a priority in polio-affected and high risk countries, and governments must be held accountable. The countries which have performed the best are those with ownership of their own programs.
-India is a great example of such country-led leadership.
-Pakistan has increased it’s commitment and oversight, and continues to make progress with an over 80% reduction in cases in 2016 compared to 2015.
-In Nigeria, Rotarians engage all leaders, including traditional leaders, to conduct the highest quality immunization campaigns possible.

20. Donor Countries G20 Summit, Germany 2017
BMG/photothek/Inga Kjer
We live in a world where every day brings a new crisis. Maintaining focus on the opportunity to rid the world of one of the most devastating diseases is critical to achieving the goal of a polio-free world.
For example our joint advocacy efforts with our partners have resulted in strong statements and financial support for polio eradication, such as the G20 leaders reaffirming their commitment to reaching polio eradication targets at their most recent meeting.
G20 Summit, Germany 2017

21. Raise Awareness
And finally, raising awareness is the responsibility of everyone. We’re seeing more media coverage, more support and increasing recognition of our efforts in the fight to end polio.

22. Integrated Communications
Raise Awareness
Integrated Communications
www
The communications team is using an integrated communications strategy for PolioPlus.
This means that when we want to communicate something, we activate ALL of our channels – social media, newsletters, the magazine, external news media, celebrity ambassadors…
This approach ensures that our stories have the highest impact and the widest reach… All with the goal of ensuring global recognition of Rotary’s efforts to end polio.

23. Your Role
Rotarians’ role in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is fundraising, advocacy, raising awareness and grassroots participation.

24. endpolio.org How to Help
Now is the time to focus our efforts to LEARN more, SHARE more and DONATE more towards polio eradication.
LEARN: Get informed and help make polio a subject of conversation in your community.
SHARE: Most people have heard of polio but few know that the disease still affects children around the world. YOU can help by spreading the word.
DONATE: Every donation helps us in the fight against polio and ask others to join you.
Visit endpolio.org today for more information and resources.

25. Thank you!
Thank you, we are “this close” to eradicating polio, but there is much more work to be done before we can claim victory. I thank each and everyone of you for the role you have and will play in our effort to eradicate polio.
Let’s begin the Countdown to History now!