By David Trubshaw Rotary Club of Silves
Rotary International’s commitment to eradicate polio worldwide began in 1979.
This was a five-year project to immunise six million Philippine children against this devastating disease.
There is still no cure for polio. Once a child or an adult has contracted the virus, it ravages nerve cells, the damage is permanent and paralysis is almost always irreversible.
All the world has to combat this disease is an oral vaccine to prevent polio and costs as little as 60 US cents for each dose. Once the vaccine has been administered a child can be protected for life against this crippling disease.
Rotary International is the global leader in the fight against polio and its goal now hinges on vaccinating all children under the age of five years.
Since 1985, more than two billion children have been immunised and polio cases have declined by more than 99 per cent.
Rotary International members worldwide rose to a http://00 million US challenge, following donations from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation totalling www.65 million.
So after over 20 years of hard work, Rotary and its partners are on the brink of reaching their goal – a world where children are polio free.
For more information about the R.I. End Polio Now campaign, visit www.rotary.org
