Rotary International on Wednesday announced a donation of $15 million (about N3 billion) for the eradication of polio in five
African countries.
A Rotary statement in Lagos said it had also committed $35 million (about N6.9 billion) in grants
to support the global efforts to end polio.
According to the statement, in 2015, Africa proved a
hub of historic progress against the paralyzing
disease.
It noted that the previous year also saw Nigeria, the
last polio-endemic country in Africa, removed from
the World Health Organization’s list of endemic
countries in September.
The statement said that Nigeria reached the feat
following one year without a new case of the wild
virus, adding that the last wild polio case on the
African continent was in August 2014.
Michael McGovern, chair of Rotary’s International
Polio Plus Committee, said: “We are closer than
ever to achieving a polio-free world.
“To ensure that no child ever again suffers the
devastating effects of this disease, we must all
ensure that the necessary funds and political will
are firmly in place in 2016.”
The statement explained that available records
showed that just two countries – Afghanistan and
Pakistan – were reporting a single strain of the wild
virus.
It mentioned that to sustain the progress made in
polio eradication and protect all children from polio,
“experts say $1.5 billion is urgently needed”.
It added: “Without full funding and political
commitment, the disease could return to previously
polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at
risk.
“Rotary’s funds will support efforts to keep 5
countries in Africa polio-free: Nigeria ($5,5),
Cameroon ($1.6 million), Chad ($2 million); Ethiopia
($4.1 million) and Somalia ($1,8 million).”
