The Latest Stats in Rotary's goal for a Polio-free World

Posted by Bill Hagborg 
on Dec 27, 2012
 

Rotary Foundation's number one priority remains the eradication of polio from the world.  The Rotary Club of North Bay continues to support this effort with annual donations ($3,500 for the current Rotary Year), as well as individual Rotarians, who designate funds contributed to the Foundation as part of their commitment to being a Sustaining Member.

 

Some of the lastest statistics...

As of December 12th 2012:

One New Case of WPV1 was reported from AFGHANISTAN*

Seven New Case of WPV were reported from NIGERIA of these5 are of WPV1 and 2 of WPV3*.

(* The 2 new WPV3 cases reported are particularly concerning, as Nigeria is now the only country in the world reporting cases due to this strain over the past six months).

No New Case all of WPV was reported from PAKISTAN**

 

Total number of cases in 2011: 650

Total number of cases in 2012 (so far): 213

1988: 35,000 (we’ve come a long way, baby!)

 

Who is working along side Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation to eradicate Polio?  WHO (World Health Organization); UNICEF; US Centers for Disease Control; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and various governments.

 

The Government of Canada is the eighth largest donor in the world.  As part of the Pennies and More for Polio campaign - both the Canadian government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have just pledged to match Rotary donations (up to March 30th, 2013) dollar-for-dollar (up to $1 million each) - providing the opportunity to commit up to $3 million dollars more to fight Polio.

 

In ONE single NID (National Immunization Day) in India - over 125 million children received the two drops of polio vaccine.

 

What is the money used for?

•       Operational Support

•       ensuring the polio vaccine reaches all children

•       $60 immunizes 100 children against polio

•       $100 – 200 provides posters promoting immunization

•       $250 – 500 provides aprons to identify health workers, volunteers and vaccinators

•       $500 – 4,000 finger markers to identify immunized children

•       $1,000 – provides 700 Styrofoam vaccine carriers

•       Surveillance

•       highly labor intensive process to report all potential polio cases

•       Social Mobilization

•       raise community awareness of polio immunization activities and the benefits of immunization (a big challenge in this home stretch)

•       Research

•       scientifically-based activities to provide data to ensure it’s working