
October 7, 2016 · 0 Comments
We wanted to bring to your attention a historic opportunity in global public health. Only two countries – Pakistan and Afghanistan – have never stopped the paralyzing disease polio. If we can root the virus out of these two last strongholds, polio is poised to be only the second human disease ever eradicated, after smallpox. Experts hope to see the last case of polio in these countries in 2016, bringing this opportunity tantalizingly close.
However, experts warn that US$1.5 billion in additional funds are urgently needed to ensure we have the resources in place to finish the job.
Rotary, a global organization comprised of nearly 34,000 clubs across the world, including The Rotary Club of Orangeville and the Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands, made polio eradication its top priority in 1985. When the initiative started, more than 350,000 people were stricken by polio every year – nearly 1,000 new polio cases every day. Since that time, cases have been reduced by 99.9% with only 29 so far in 2016. Rotary has contributed more than $1.5 billion to polio eradication efforts, including funds to inoculate some 15,000 children.
The Rotary Club of Orangeville regularly donates funds in the names of speakers at our weekly Club meetings to thank them for their presentation.
The Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands will hold their 22nd Taste of Autumn event October 22nd to raise funds to End Polio as well as local projects.
Your readers can support the fight to protect all children from polio by visiting endpolio.org to donate and learn more. All donations to Rotary’s efforts to end polio will be tripled, under a 2:1 match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Adrian Bita, President, The Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands,
Fred Murphy, President, The Rotary Club of Orangeville