ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 18, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International grants Eth. Birr 88.8 million for operational support to ENDPOLIONOW in Ethiopia through WHO- Ethiopia. As long standing supporter of polio eradication initiative for the last 25 years, Rotary’s grant globally is bout USD 2.3 Billion.
This new pledge of 88.8 million is made in honor of current Ethiopia’s polio free status and it will be used to sustain this position. Examining Rotary’s 25 years of engagement in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative endeavor, which is in a state of the completion and closure of Polio Eradication Initiative was the basis for continuing the strengthened effort and success that Africa is celebrating now.
“Thanks to the generous Rotary’s donation. We will dramatically increase our capacity and this fund will ensure that World Health Organization Ethiopia will always be able to sustain the gain. This grant will secure our leadership position to continue providing our technical support in polio eradication initiative, explained Dr. Olusegun Ayorinde Babaniyi, Acting WHO Representative for Ethiopia. “With the increasing Rotary’s commitment to support the country and the global initiative, we wanted to ensure that the World Health Organization would maintain its pre-eminence to build on the polio legacy to accelerate the improvement in routine immunization for closing the immunization gap. We are so pleased to be able to take this step,” he added.
As the initiative enters its final stages by 2018, investments made in the cause of polio eradication are built on to benefit other development goals. Therefore the completion and closure of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is as serious as the beginning of polio Eradication Initiative.
PDG Tadesse Alemu NPPC Chairman in Rotary Grant handing over ceremony said, “ As we needed fund to launch Polio Eradication Initiative program and we have to see to it that funding is crucial for Endgame activities and polio legacy to ensuring investments made are built on to benefit other development goals. Therefore, this grant is for one-year, which must be fully expended by 31 March 2017. The Rotary Foundation is very pleased to support polio eradication efforts in Ethiopia through this grant.”
