October 24th is World Polio Day in the Rotary world. Rotary is committed to raising $50 million a year to be matched 2-to1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Since 1985, when Polio Plus began, Rotary has contributed over $1.9 BILLION to fight this crippling disease. Three years later Rotary joined Global Polio Eradication Initiative with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.So, you ask---why are we still collecting money to eradicate polio after 30 years of fighting it??? Rotarians all over the world have been saying “We’re this close” for years!
Currently there are two countries still reporting cases of polio—Afghanistan and Pakistan. There were 33 cases of the wild polio virus reported in 2018. Fifty eight ( 58) children have been tested as positive since the beginning of 2019. Due to an anti-vaccination movement in Pakistan, two million
households are refusing vaccinations for the children. Wrong information sent out over social media, has made it very difficult in Pakistan .
Please continue to support Rotary as it continues its Polio Eradication. Please join us on October 24th and celebrate our success as we move toward the finish line. Your club may want to have an “END POLIO NOW” event around the October 24th to make your community aware of our good work and the need to continue. Post this on Facebook. Twitter, or your club home page.
