The Rotary Club of Toledo will mark historic progress toward a polio-free world while urging the community to help end the paralyzing disease 

Event is among thousands to be held by Rotary clubs around the world on World Polio Day, 24 October

 October 24, 2019 — Rotary members in Toledo are taking action on World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds, and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.

Axe Out Polio

Oct. 24th

5:30pm – 8:30pm

Axe 419

9851 Meridian Ct Suite 2, Perrysburg, OH 43551

Public Welcome, 21 + years of age

When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative more than three decades ago, polio paralyzed 1,000 children every day. We’ve made great progress against the disease since then. Polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent, from 350,000 cases in 1988 in 125 countries to 33 cases of wild poliovirus in 2018 in just two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. And we remain committed to the end.

With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners must sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk. Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.