Football fans, clubs to rally against polio in India
July 29th, 2011 - 8:10 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) A partnership among the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Futbol Club (FC) Barcelona, and the Barcelona Foundation will rally football fans to eradicate polio from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria — the four nations where the disease still exists.
The partnership is of three years’ duration, a statement said Friday.
“We have the chance to score a big win against polio, but we need loud and passionate voices to join the fight,” Bill Gates said. “FC Barcelona’s commitment to using sport for social good will help us rally support for vaccines and end polio once and for all.”
Considering that polio cases are at an all-time low, with new funding and increased support polio has the potential to be the second disease eliminated from our planet, after smallpox, the statement added.
FC Barcelona, which has 18 million Facebook fans and multiple Twitter channels with millions of followers, will engage its followers through the social media.
In-stadium advertisements and announcements during matches will highlight the tremendous opportunity the world has to end polio and save millions of lives through childhood vaccination.
The partnership will use the tagline “More than a Goal. End Polio,” a take-off on FC Barcelona’s tagline, “More than a Club.”
- Hyderabad foundation gets $100,000 grant for polio vaccine - May 10, 2012
- Gates Foundation calls for investments for vaccines - May 17, 2011
- Bill Gates to visit India this week - Mar 21, 2011
- Bill Gates discusses polio, other health related issues in Pakistan with Zardari - Apr 07, 2011
- Azad meets Bill, Melinda Gates - Mar 22, 2011
- Bill Gates lauds India's polio eradication drive - Jan 10, 2012
- Bill, Melinda Gates meet Health Minister Azad, discuss issues relating to polio vaccination - Mar 22, 2011
- A year of no polio: India triumphs, but risks remains - Jan 11, 2012
- US firm gets $220 mn Gates grant to combat TB - Mar 15, 2012
- Indian firm joins Nigeria's polio battle (With Images) - Feb 23, 2012
- A year of no polio: India triumphs, but risks remains (Lead) - Jan 11, 2012
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to focus on drugs, vaccine research - Mar 24, 2011
- Bill Gates to meet Akhilesh - May 29, 2012
- 'India needs to step up vaccination to save its children' - Jun 11, 2011
- Bill Gates to visit Bihar for anti-polio drive (Lead) - May 11, 2010
Tags: big win, bill and melinda, bill and melinda gates, bill and melinda gates foundation, bill gates, childhood vaccination, fans clubs, fc barcelona, followers, football fans, futbol club, india pakistan, melinda gates foundation, New Delhi, passionate voices, polio, polio cases, smallpox, tagline, vaccines