Support to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Through this project GAC will support the implementation of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)’s Endgame Strategic Plan for 2013-2019 which provides a global roadmap to eradicate polio by 2019. Specifically the project will contribute to achieving: 1) increased capacity of targeted national governments to detect and interrupt poliovirus transmission and more rapidly respond to new outbreaks; 2) strengthened national immunization systems and withdrawal of oral polio vaccines particularly particularly in endemic countries; 3) certification and containment of polio viruses by 2019; and 4) strengthened national health systems through mainstreaming polio assets and infrastructure into broader health programs. Activities will include working with targeted governments to strengthen oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine campaign safety and quality preparing country offices for improved outbreak responses providing technical assistance to front-line workers engaging communities with a new communication strategy to identify and reach missed children and work with governments to transition polio assets and infrastructure to broader health goals. Annual amounts fundraised by the Rotary Foundation of Canada will be matched by DFATD on a 2:1 ratio up to a maximum of $12 million. The Rotary Foundation of Canada is a chapter of Rotary International one of the GPEI’s core partners. The GPEI is a partnership between UNICEF the World Health Organization the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This project contributes to Canada’s $250 million commitment to polio eradication made at the 2013 Abu Dhabi Global Vaccine Summit.

The expected results for this project are: 1) increased capacity of targeted national governments to detect and interrupt poliovirus transmission and more rapidly respond to new outbreaks; 2) strengthened national immunization systems and withdrawal of oral polio vaccines particularly particularly in endemic countries; 3) certification and containment of polio viruses by 2019; and 4) strengthened national health systems through mainstreaming polio assets and infrastructure into broader health programs.