Press Release

Rotary honors An Taoiseach Ahern for supporting a polio-free world

(Dublin, IRELAND – 3 October 2006)  In recognition of his country’s outstanding financial contribution to polio eradication, Rotary International today presented An Taoiseach Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D. with the Polio Eradication Champion Award.

The award, presented by Robert Scott, Trustee of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, was established in 1995 to recognize governments and world leaders who have made outstanding contributions toward the goal of eradicating polio.  “Until polio is eradicated worldwide, no child is safe from this crippling and potentially fatal disease,” said Scott. “On behalf of Rotary’s 1.2 million members worldwide, and the millions of children who will be protected against this disease, I am honored to recognize the Government of Ireland, under the leadership of An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, for its continued support of a polio-free world.”

The government of Ireland has contributed a total of €12.88 million (US.5 million), including a recent three-year commitment € 9 million.  “The Polio Eradication Initiative has been a worldwide success and there is now a real prospect that the world will soon be free from this debilitating disease,” said the Taoiseach.  “The major obstacle to this achievement is funding and Ireland is delighted to be able to respond in this regard.  The final push to eliminate polio worldwide is fully deserving of our support and this has now been secured with EUR9 million committed by the Government from 2006 to 2008.”

In addition to Ireland’s public sector, the country’s 2,600 Rotary members have contributed nearly € 780,000 (US million) to polio eradication.   Rotary’s commitment to end polio represents the largest private-sector support of a global health initiative ever.  In 1985, Rotary members worldwide vowed to immunize all the world’s children against polio.  Since then, Rotary has contributed more than US0 million to a polio-free world. Besides raising and contributing funds, over one million men and women of Rotary have volunteered their time and personal resources to help immunize more than 2 billion children in 122 countries during national immunization campaigns. 

A highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis and sometimes death, polio still strikes children in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.  To date, the number of polio cases has been reduced from 350,000 children annually in the mid 1980s to approximately 2,000 cases all last year.  Only 4 countries: Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, are still polio-endemic - an all-time low. 

Public sector contributions represent two-thirds of the USD 4 billion funds going toward polio eradication. In addition to Ireland, polio-specific contributions have been made by the following governments:  Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Other leaders who have been honored with Rotary’s Polio Eradication Champion Award include Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair, President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo, President Mamadou Tandja of Niger, President of Angola Jose Eduardo dos Santos, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former United States President William Jefferson Clinton, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, President Chen Shui-Bian of Taiwan, Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, Prime Minister Helen Clark of New Zealand and President Pervez Musharaf of Pakistan.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Rotary International is the world’s first and one of the largest non-profit humanitarian service organizations.  It is comprised of 1.2 million business and professional leaders in nearly 170 countries.  Rotary members initiate community projects that address many of today’s most critical issues such as violence, AIDS, hunger, the environment and health care.