Ridding the World of Polio

Guest speaker was Immediate Past President, Aileen North who is District 1010 End Polio Now Officer.

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. Along with its five core partners, they have helped immunise more than 2.5 billion children against polio in 122 countries. 

The fight to end polio is led by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), which includes Rotary, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (this Foundation donates £2 for every £1 raised) and governments of the world, with the support of many others around the globe. 

Cases of polio have reduced by 99.9 percent worldwide but cases still remains endemic in Pakistan, Afghanistan and to a small extent Nigeria. Rotary won't stop their effort until the goal is to have a Polio free world. 

Polio commonly affects children under five and Aileen gave background on the disease which is thought to have existed since the days of ancient Egypt.

It was recognised as a virus in 1905. There is no cure but there is safe and effective vaccine which Dr Jonas Salk developed in 1955. Since 1st May 1955 children in Britain aged two and nine were vaccinated with the serum. 

There are three different types of polio. One still exists. 

Aileen introduced the meeting to the YouTube film - Rotary End Polio Sum of all the parts - see below

To buy one vaccine costs approx price of a packet of crisps. Aileen explained how £534 was raised at McLean PS by wearing purple to school for a day. Aileen also brought along her now well known teddy bears, which she uses when addressing the many audiences she has presented to in recent times.

October 24th this year has been designated World Polio Day and clubs are asked to continue raising funds for End Polio Now. 

What Your Money Buys:

In January 2023, Rotary gave USD$50 million in grants to our partners WHO and UNICEF for polio eradication activities. The money pays for technical expertise, social mobilization, and more.