World Polio Day is Tuesday, October 24. This coming Saturday, October 21, Bowen Rotary members will be setting up a table in front of the Ruddy Potato for a few hours in order to publicize Rotary International’s Campaign to End Polio Now, and to collect donations in one of our Polio Pigs.
Where will donations go? To fund people (vaccinators, supervisors, field coordinators and drivers); for equipment and for training sessions for vaccinators and their support staff.
What is polio? It is a virus, spread typically through contaminated water, and mainly to children and young adults. At its peak in the 1940s and 50s, polio paralyzed or killed over half-a-million people worldwide every year. Many of us remember friends and family members who suffered from this debilitating disease. Although there is no cure, there is an oral vaccine which has virtually served to eradicate polio in all but two countries of the world. Here are some interesting dates:
1749: First clinical description of polio, although it had been around for millennia
1908: It was discovered that polio was caused by a virus
1928: An artificial respirator called the iron lung was invented
1955: Injectable Polio vaccine created by Dr. Salk
1961: Oral vaccine replaced the Salk vaccine
1979: Rotary International started its polio campaign
1988: The Polio Eradication Initiative was formed by World Health Organization and Rotary, with the goal of eradicating polio worldwide. 350,000 cases were detected in 125 countries. This initiative has since been joined by other funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF
2006: Polio is confined to only four countries – India, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan
2020: Only two (conflict) countries report cases of polio
2023: Only 7 cases of polio detected in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Why are we so concerned about polio if it is all but eradicated around the world? It’s crucial to continue working to keep all countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.
In addition, as noted with detections of variant poliovirus around the world in several previously polio-free countries, including Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, poliovirus anywhere is a threat to children (and indeed everyone) everywhere.
The word ‘Rotary’ is synonymous with ‘polio’ around the world, and the Rotary Club of Bowen Island urges you to help us with the fight against this disease, particularly in vulnerable areas of the world. We will be selling cookies on Saturday to help the cause. Please come out and support us!
In addition, our Polio Pigs will be placed in various local businesses including Cates Pharmacy, Ruddy Potato and the Beer and Wine Store for the next few weeks. If you would like further information on the fight against polio, access Rotary International (rotary.org)
