June 14, 2000

(EVANSTON, Ill. — 10 June 2000) Chicago-area based Rotary International is the first to accept the American Medical Association's (AMA) award for Outstanding Global Health Initiative on behalf of the global partnership to eradicate polio. In addition to Rotary, global public partners also recognized include the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The award, presented to Rotary President Carlo Ravizza at a gala banquet held in association with the AMA's Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates on June 10th in Chicago, honors physicians and health initiatives that further health information and medical practice worldwide. Named for the founder of the AMA, the awards advance an eleven-year tradition of the Dr. Nathan Davis Awards Program into the international arena. With the presentation of these awards, the AMA strives to encourage and stimulate international recognition for the highest standards of service that advance the well-being of all.

"I am deeply honored to receive this award on behalf of our global partners," said Rotary President Carlo Ravizza. "Today we are at the forefront of victory in the fight to eradicate this crippling and tragic disease. As a result of this initiative, three million children worldwide who might otherwise have fallen victim to polio are today walking, running and playing."

Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF who also attended the ceremony said, "This honor recognizes the great importance of a truly global partnership. Polio eradication requires unprecedented teamwork and we are only as effective as the weakest link in the chain. Because the importance of the goal is embraced worldwide, every link is strong and victory is in sight."

Within the last decade, the number of polio cases has been reduced by over 90 percent. Endemic on five continents in 1988, polio today strikes children in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

"We now stand on the brink of consigning this disease to the history books forever. The efforts here in the Americas have been an inspiration for the worldwide effort. This award is a great boost to the many individuals who are working around the clock to ensure that we seize the window of opportunity to rid the world of this disease," said Tomris Turmon, M.D., Senior Policy Advisor to the Director-General of WHO.

CDC Director Jeffrey Koplan, MD, MPH, said, "The battle to eradicate polio, a crippling disease known since ancient times, has already achieved stunning success. Since the initiative was launched in 1988, three million people in the developing world, who would have been paralyzed, are walking because they have been immunized against polio. The entire population of the world will benefit forever from the hard work and dedication of the individuals who have been involved in this effort."

Rotary International began in Chicago in 1905. It is the oldest and one of the largest non-profit service organizations in the world. It is comprised of 1.2 million members working in over 29,700 clubs in 162 countries. In 1985, Rotary International created its PolioPlus program, an aggressive public/private partnership to assist international health agencies and governments in eradicating polio. To date, Rotary has contributed US$373 million to the protection of nearly two billion children. By the year 2005, Rotary's financial commitment will reach nearly half a billion US dollars. In addition, thousands of Rotary volunteers assist in vaccine delivery, social mobilization and logistical help.