Rotary International has made an extraordinary contribution to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. We can never acknowledge Rotary international enough for their leadership. Millions of volunteer-hours, advocacy and social mobilization efforts and the financial support they have put into this global fight for polio eradication. By 2005, the target year for certification of a polio free world and the 100^th Anniversary of Rotary International, this organization will have contributed US$ 500 million to polio eradication.

In addition to its fund-raising, Rotary International has contributed much to the success of the campaign by its tireless work among its many volunteers. It is a worthy cause, and it has been carried out in a way that stands as an example for others. Indeed, WHO’s relationship with Rotary International is an example of a model partnership between the public and the private sector which others could do well by emulating.

It is not a coincidence that my first official visit as Director-General of the World Health Organization in this new century is to India.

India has the special attention of the World Health Organization. India is the second largest country in the world, hosting nearly one sixth of the world’s population. Sadly, one third of the world’s poorest 1.3 billion people are Indians. And as poverty is known to contribute significantly to ill health, India faces a number of complicated and intertwined economic and health challenges in order to improve the living conditions of its population. WHO shares this concern of improving the health of all Indians as a high priority.

India has a huge potential to improve the health of its people. It has the world’s largest democracy. It is among the world’s top industrial powers. It has a huge scientific and technical manpower potential. And its people are driven by outstanding common commitment. A commitment that goes beyond reaching national and regional goals but contributes in a significant way to reach international ones.

One of these goals is to eradicate polio from the entire world, starting with India.

India is on a fast track for polio eradication. The progress achieved in just the past 12 months has proven that polio can be stopped by the end of the year 2000 in India. The success so far is outstanding. Only months ago, pessimists argued that the task was impossible. India has already put such pessimism to shame. National Immunization Days have been carried out on an unprecedented scale. These Indian Pulse Polio Immunization Days are the largest public health events ever carried out anywhere in the world. They have inspired other polio endemic countries to embark on similar accelerated immunization activities that will ultimately give us a polio free world.

In short, India is showing the way.

The major challenges in the final stretch are lack of finances. To finish the job properly with global certification in 2005, it is estimated that an additional US$ 300 million is needed. For India alone we need about US$ 100 million.

We have stretched to the limit, almost all possible sources of funds from the public sector and donor governments. Rotary International has again taken the lead on innovative approaches to cover the shortfall and turned to the corporate world calling for your contribution to the initiative. I hope you will welcome their initiative.

WHO considers partnerships with the corporate sector as crucial to improve health. With your expertise, engagement and support we really can make a difference in the 21^st century. This lunch is a follow up to a similar event that took place in Cape Town earlier this year. At that time, Rotary International had arranged with Mr Ted Turner, owner of CNN and Mr Nicky Oppenheimer, Chairman of De Beers, a meeting showing that both companies have commitment to corporate donations for health that stand as a model for other responsible businesses to follow. The support goes beyond money. De Beers’s contribution, for example, consisted not only of its US$ 2,7 million towards polio eradication in Angola, but it included also expertise and staff engagement in social mobilization, advocacy and communication activities. And the UN Foundation, initiated by Ted Turner has helped mobilize new additional resources.

There is a social responsibility role for all companies in efforts to help children world wide. It is a role based on enlightened self interest more than charity - seeing funding for campaigns such as this one as an investment in a better business environment. It is becoming an accepted truth that in our globalized world, one person’s poverty is another person’s lost opportunity. Having a large part of the population languish in poverty, disease and squalor is simply bad for business. While general policies aiming to reduce poverty rarely work well, specific health interventions do. By reducing the burden of disease, we reduce costs and increase productivity. The polio campaign is a clear example of this. It is concrete, focused and has a clear goal. When we succeed, direct savings alone will be US$ 1.5 billion per year world wide. Good health is good business.

In the 1970s the world managed to eradicate smallpox. In the 1980s, India eliminated Guinea Worm. Polio Eradication is an Initiative of an even bigger scale and reach than either of these two. During these first years of the new millennium you can become part of the historical achievement of eradicating polio - not only from India but from the entire world.

Indian corporate leaders have shown tremendous resilience, especially after the liberalisation of the Indian Economy since the early nineties. Under your stewardship, the Indian industrial sector has shown a consistent 10% annual growth in the past several years, a performance few countries match. Now, I would urge you to widen your attention to include health. Your dynamism and your leadership would make a great contribution to India’s health - and thereby to the world.

My personal plea to you today is to join us in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Help WHO, Rotary International, UNICEF and the Government of India to eradicate polio from your country and from the world.

Rotary International and WHO will continue this dialogue and discuss how you and your company can make a contribution in kind, in time or in financial support.

We are so close to the goal.

India can make it. Every rupee counts because every child counts.