The Prime Minister of Ireland, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been presented with the Rotary International Polio Eradication Champion Award in recognition of the Irish Government’s efforts to support polio eradication.
Since the 1980s, Ireland has contributed more than €15m to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), including €12 million since 2000 and has pledged a further €5m over the next five years. During Ireland’s presidency of the European Union, Irish representatives encouraged the European Commission’s support for polio eradication, culminating in its commitment to further funding in April 2013.
“A polio free world is within our grasp thanks to the continued support of Ireland," said Mike Webb, Member of the Rotary International Board of Directors. “We must continue to work together as a global community to protect the hard won gains in the countries which are currently polio free. Children everywhere remain at risk until polio is completely eradicated.”
On receiving the award, Enda Kenny said: “The memory of polio is still with us in Ireland and it is only right that we should continue the global effort to eradicate polio completely. This commitment is in addition to the support we provide to the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunisation for its important work in increasing access to life saving vaccines and strengthening immunisation in poorer countries."
Rotary established the Polio Eradication Champion Award in 1995 to honour heads of state, health agency leaders and others who have made a significant contribution. Past recipients include German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, Prime Minister Jean Claude Juncker of Luxembourg, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
