Rotary Club of Birstall Luddites
Mon 9th Nov 2015 The Worlds Greatest Meal to Help End Polio Speaker - Our Luddite Rotarian Robert Jackson "99% there - the fight against Polio" Robert has been touring District 1040 giving clubs an update on the world Polio situation. Clubs all over the world have been partaking in the Greatest Meal with funds being raised for contribution towards the End Polio Now campaign. Every dollar raised will becomes THREE Dollars thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations generous top-up policy. During our weekly meeting Robert organised with Healds Hall for our normal three course meal to be changed to a simple meal of soup and sandwiches. Although paying the normal meal cost half the sum was raised for the fund raising thanks to Healds Hall Hotel. After the meal Robert gave a talk explaining the meal and the wold polio facts. Robert is the "End Polio Now"
Co-ordinator for 1040 District, and gave members an interesting update
on the status of Rotary's commitment to help eradicate Polio worldwide.
Nigeria has now been polio-free for a year, and in two years' time all
of Africa should be declared free of the disease, leaving just two
countries - Afghanistan and Pakistan - with a small number of cases, and
diminishing year on year. (Pakistan with 38 cases, down from 219 the
previous year). A new policy is being introduced to use innoculation
(IPV - Inactivated Polio Vaccine) rather than oral OPV (drops on the
tongue) vaccine, which although a lot more expensive is apparently more
effective in avoiding the long-terms side effects of OPV. Members
interested in learning more about the rationale can find additional
information here. |
LINKS The Words Greatest Meal to Help End Polio
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