Rotary International has called in APCO Worldwide’s UK-based public affairs team to ensure polio eradication remains on the country’s political agenda.
The agency will lobby the British government to continue supporting attempts to stamp out the disease, which is now endemic in only Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Since 2008, Britain has contributed £166m to the project, including £40m in 2012, but has not yet made any pledges to continuing its support.
APCO’s involvement in the project is a new assignment, which it won via a competitive pitch involving several other agencies.
In addition to UK lobbying, similar campaigning will take place in Germany, France, Belgium and Canada.
“We are privileged to work with Rotary International as they enter the final stretch of their long time campaign to eradicate polio,” said James Acheson-Gray, managing director of APCO Worldwide UK.
“We look forward to helping their advocacy efforts to push this issue further up government agendas in Europe and to fully activate and leverage their network of 1.2 million members worldwide.”
Rotary International began its polio eradication programme in 1979 and since then its 1.2 million members have contributed more than $1bn to the cause.