October is World Polio Month and we all need to intensify our fund-raising efforts for END POLIO NOW

Article by PDG Bob Aitken, Rotary End Polio Now Coordinator

The Rotary Foundation Chairman and RI Past President John Germ delivered an inspiring call to action to a Zoom meeting of Rotary senior leaders and RI END POLIO NOW Coordinators in late September.

‘October is World Polio Month and we all need to intensify our fund-raising efforts for END POLIO NOW,’ he said.

‘There are plenty of splendid event ideas out there so everyone needs to get on board – especially on World Polio Day, October 24.

‘I have one special message for everyone … ONE DAY, ONE FOCUS, ENDING POLIO.’

RI PolioPlus Chairman and RI Past Vice President Mike McGovern brought a strong positive note to the Zoom meeting when he announced he has ‘never been more confident of the imminent success of our campaign’.

Mike reported there were still only TWO cases of wild polio virus this calendar year – one each with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Further, there have been only 13 wpv (wild poliovirus) cases in the last 12 months – September 2020 to September 2021.

He said the other very positive news is the low level of positive environmental samples collected from surveillance stations across Pakistan and Afghanistan. Only 12% of such stations have reported samples!

Everybody is concerned at the social tragedy in Afghanistan, but there are positive signs that the Polio Eradication Campaign is still on track and innocent children will be saved.

• Only ONE environmental sample from test sites in that country.
• WHO and UNICEF staff have been allowed to stay and continue operations.
• Vaccination Days are continuing in Afghanistan.
• Our Polio teams are optimistic about working with the new Taliban Government.

The new Novel vaccine to counter ‘vaccine derived virus’ has been very successful, although still under early user licence.

Strong demand for this vaccine – especially on the African continent with 85 million doses already administered – is creating supply and demand problems from the manufacturing base in Indonesia.

Media challenges also continue where there are constant reports of new wild polio virus cases across the middle of the African continent. On EVERY occasion, the cases have been identified as vaccine derived virus.

Districts, clubs and individuals may access END POLIO NOW resource and tool kits on line from ENDPOLIONOW.org