Two new (2018) Wild Polio cases reported this week. You all know that for every $1 Rotary spends annually of your donations towards Polio eradication that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gives us $2 to do more spending for ridding the world of Polio. Thanks to your generosity last year Rotary received today a fund transfer of $100 million from the Gates Foundation. Let’s continue the progress to a Polio free world! - Michael McGovern, Chair, International PolioPlus Committee.
Rotary Connects The World - Rotary's 2019-20 Theme was announced by RI President Elect Mark Maloney this week. It certainly does fit in with the work toward our goal of Global Polio Eradication - doesn't it! WHO Top Ten - The anti-vax movement’s influence on slowing vaccination rates has been labelled as a Top Ten Threat to global health in 2019 by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Alongside air pollution and climate change, global influenza pandemic and dengue, the organisation said “vaccine hesitancy threatens to reverse progress in tackling vaccine-preventable diseases”.
Zero is the Magic Number! The three year Countdown to History starts after the final Wild Polio case. Today, we restart the count since the report of the most recent Wild Polio case. Rotary is committed to raise $50 Million (including Rotarian, public, and DDF donations) to be matched by $100 mil from the Gates Foundation - for each of the next two years - for a total of $300 million for the Global Polio Eradication effort.
Vaccine Derived Polio Cases - Papua New Guinea, Kenya, SYRIA, SOMALIA, Niger, Nigeria, Mozambique, & DRC - Vaccine Derived Polio Cases reported in 2019: Papua New Guinea - 0 (26 in 2018). (No new cases this week), Nigeria - 0 (33 in 2018). (No new cases this week), Niger - 0 (9 in 2018). (No new cases reported this week), Somalia - 0 (13 in 2018). (No new cases this week), DRC - 0 (20 in 2018). (No new cases this week). Mozambique - 0 (1 in 2018) (One new case reported this week) One hundred and two Vaccine Derived Polio cases were reported in 2018.
Quote of the Day - “Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down." - Charles Kettering, 1876-1958, Engineer & Inventor
The Final Three Endemic Countries:
Pakistan - Two new (2018) Polio cases reported this week. No Polio cases reported in 2019 - the most recent cases were from Lakki Marwat District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province with an onset of paralysis on 12/16/18 and from Bajor Agancy in FATA with an onset of paralysis on 12/26/18. Pakistan reported ten 2018 Polio cases. Five new Polio-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Pakistan.
Afghanistan - No new Polio cases reported this week. No Polio cases reported in 2019. The most recent case was from the Shahid - e - Hasas District, Uruzgan Province with an onset of paralysis on 10/09/18. Twenty-one cases reported in 2018. No new Polio-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
Nigeria - No Wild Polio cases have been reported in 2017, 2018, or 2019. The most recent Polio case was reported on 8/20/16. Nigeria is to be congratulated on 2-1/3 years without a Wild Polio case!
Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
- Terry Ziegler, Rotary District 5890 Polio Eradication Chair & Zone 21B/27 ARRFC