SWAN Rotary has used a concert at the Midland Performing Arts Centre to raise funds to help eradicate a virus that mainly affects children.

Musical group NAK performed at the fundraiser on March 24, which raised more than $2000.

Swan Rotary president David Uhe said all proceeds from the concert would support Rotary’s end polio now program.

The club formed when the Midland and Swan Valley clubs joined to form one club said it contributed annually to the End Polio campaign.

“Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan,’’ Swan Rotary said.

“But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free.

“If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyse as many as 200,000 children each year.”

A World Health Organization fact sheet said polio mainly affected children under five years of age but that anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract the disease.

“There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented,’’ the fact sheet said.

“Polio vaccine, given multiple times, can protect a child for life.

“There are two vaccines available: oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine.

According to the fact sheet failure to stop polio in the last remaining areas of the world could result in global resurgence of the disease.