THE Tavistock Rotary Club has welcomed news that polio eradication, and other preventable diseases, are getting a boost.

The recent announcement by the Global Alliance for vaccines and immunisations (GAVI) of $4.3-billion to help efforts in poor countries, further supports the ongoing hard work by Rotary and other partner organisations to protect children from diseases which can be fatal.

Polio eradication has been Rotary's top priority since 1985. Since then, polio cases have fallen from 350,000 a year to barely a thousand at the end of 2010.

Thanks to Rotary's help, billions of children have been protected from the disease, and the number of endemic countries has fallen from 125 to just four — Afghanistan, Northern India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

It is estimated that five million children have been spared from disability and 250,000 deaths have been averted.

Tavistock club president Geri Parlby said this announcement brings hope to 250-million children: 'We are thrilled that governments are putting their hands in their pockets and supporting much-needed work to rid the world of diseases such as polio.

'Here in Tavistock we have been working to raise awareness and funds to support the End Polio Now campaign.

'Rotary clubs are also working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation by raising money to help meet the $200-million challenge.

'When we hit the $200-million target their foundation will give an extra $255-million for polio eradication. This really does mean that polio is on the way out.

'The Tavistock club has contributed £1,300 already and aims to raise a further £2,000 towards the £3,500 target that clubs are asked to reach by July 2012.'