It was announced at the Rotary International Convention in Lisbon that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match two to one, every dollar Rotary International raises to reduce the funding shortfall for polio eradication. The foundation has committed up to US$70 million per year until 2018 which if fully realised, puts the value of the new partnership with Rotary at more than US$500 million.
The new partnership, End Polio Now–Make History Today, comes during a critical phase for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). The estimated cost of the 2013-18 Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan is US$5.5 billion. The Global Vaccine Summit in April committed US$4 billion, leaving a gap of US$1.5 billion to be met. It is vital that this gap is filled in order that polio does not make a comeback in affected countries.
“We will combine the strength of Rotary’s network with our resources and together with the other partners in the GPEI, we will not just end a disease but change the face of public health forever,” said Jeff Raikes, CEO of the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation.
RIBI President, Nan McCreadie said: “This is a great opportunity for clubs and Rotarians to increase threefold their contributions from cash raised either through fundraising or sponsorship. When you consider that in 2011/12, Rotary clubs in RIBI raised £1.1m for polio eradication, under the new partnership, this would add a further £2.2m if that figure was achieved this year which is fantastic.”
Since the announcement, Sir Emeka Offor, a Nigerian Rotarian, has announced that he is making a new US$1 million contribution to PolioPlus amounting to US$3 million with the Gates’ contribution.
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