Rotary International: Over $30 Billion Spent on Polio Eradication

John Hewko, Secretary‑General and Chief Executive Officer of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation, announced that the organization has spent more than $3 billion on the global polio eradication effort since 1985.

Hewko said the funds were raised from donors, individuals and corporate groups worldwide. He made the statement on Wednesday in Benin, noting that 2029 has been set as the target year for eliminating the disease.

When asked why polio remains endemic in some regions, Hewko cited religious and cultural barriers, misinformation and insecurity as key obstacles.

“This issue of misinformation is a big problem. And not just in the north here, but in Pakistan and Afghanistan and some of the other places where you have some of these challenges,” he said.

“Our Rotarians continue to raise money. They continue to advocate. They continue to vaccinate children. We are in this until we finish the job. We will stay in the fight until we eradicate polio.”

“We are currently projecting that we hope to be able to eradicate polio in 2029. That is the current plan.”

Hewko emphasized Rotary’s ongoing commitment, adding, “There is a whole series of techniques that we have used over the years in different countries to try to get to every child. But again, it is all about getting to the children. And it is about, very often, the security situation on the ground.”

“The challenge with polio is, we have now eradicated polio in every place but two countries. But until we eradicate it everywhere, you need to vaccinate children all over the world. We need to vaccinate everybody around the world until there are no more cases.”

Earlier, Anthony Woghiren, Governor of Rotary District 9141—which includes Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states—announced that Rotarian Adeyinka Babalola has been elected as the next Global President of Rotary International.

Woghiren also highlighted that the humanitarian organization has empowered the less privileged through skill‑acquisition initiatives.

Founded in the United States in 1905, Rotary International comprises about 46,000 clubs worldwide and has roughly 6,000 members in Nigeria, making it the largest Rotary presence on the African continent.