Rotary International has been instrumental in the global effort to eradicate polio. In 1978, they established the Health, Hunger and Humanity program with a primary goal of eradicating poliomyelitis worldwide. By the 1980s, polio immunization grants were approved for several countries. In 1988, over 600 million children were immunized across 97 countries, reducing polio cases to around 350,000. National Immunization Days introduced in the 1990s saw mass immunization campaigns that helped eliminate polio in countries like the Philippines and China. While progress was made, polio remained in countries like India. Recent campaigns in India have involved immunizing over 200 million children across thousands of vaccination booths.

1. Polio Eradication A global health success story Dr Kenneth E Collins Rotary International PolioPlus Task Force

6. Polio Incidence - Brazil

10. Where are we now? 31 14 14 Afghanistan 798 552 372 Nigeria 117 27 31 Pakistan 559 355 184 India 146 60 216 Non-endemic countries 1505 948 601 Endemic countries 1651 1008 817 Globally Total in 2008 Year to date 2008 Year to date 2009 Total cases