Rotary International meets Bill Gates’ $200m challenge to fund polio eradication globally

Rotary International says it has succeeded in meeting the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s $200 million match in funding for polio eradication, raising more than $202.6 million as of January 17, 2012.

According to the community service organisation, the fundraising milestone was reached in response to $355 million in challenge grants awarded to its Rotary Foundation by the Gates Foundation stating “all funds have been earmarked to support polio immunization activities in affected countries where the vaccine-preventable disease continues to paralyze children.”

“We’ll celebrate this milestone, but it doesn’t mean that we’ll stop raising money or spreading the word about polio eradication,” Mr. John F. Germ, a trustee of the Foundation was quoted in Rotary statement January 17, 2012.

“We can’t stop until our entire world is certified as polio-free,” he added.

By Ekow Quandzie