Polio Plus Update
Posted by Bill Molesworth
Doug introduced his father, Tom Ewan, who was District Governor when Rotary International announced the Polio Plus initiative and who has been involved in every aspect of the project ever since. Tom is the recipient of the International Service Above Self Award for his work on this.
Tom said he is often asked if Polio will ever be eradicated and he always says 'yes' but then something happens to cause a set back. Some good news this year - the Secretary General of WHO, Margaret Chen, has announced the full support of her organization; in the Horn of Africa 55,000 volunteers innoculated 4,000,000 children; in Southern Afghanistan they stopped the war to get the job done.
Polio Plus has been working for 20 years in 200 countries utilizing 20 million volunteers to immunize 2 billion children.
Rotary intiated the project, WHO joined in 1988, the Centers for Disease Control and UNICEF followed and the governments of the affected countries have all been supportive. In 1985 there were 350,000 reported cases in 125 countries and estimates put the actual number at 10 times that. In 2006 only 4 countries are listed as endemic (Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan) and less than 3,000 cases are reported.
Religious suspicion is still the largest problem, but negotiations are ongoing. 2 new vaccines have been developed to deal with Type 1 and 3. Type 2 has been gone since '99.
Campaigns are huge efforts - house to house visits, blanket coverage of train stations, reaching every new born. National campaigns in India reach 150 million over 3 days and they do that 5 or 6 times a year.
Tom said he is often asked if Polio will ever be eradicated and he always says 'yes' but then something happens to cause a set back. Some good news this year - the Secretary General of WHO, Margaret Chen, has announced the full support of her organization; in the Horn of Africa 55,000 volunteers innoculated 4,000,000 children; in Southern Afghanistan they stopped the war to get the job done.
Polio Plus has been working for 20 years in 200 countries utilizing 20 million volunteers to immunize 2 billion children.
Rotary intiated the project, WHO joined in 1988, the Centers for Disease Control and UNICEF followed and the governments of the affected countries have all been supportive. In 1985 there were 350,000 reported cases in 125 countries and estimates put the actual number at 10 times that. In 2006 only 4 countries are listed as endemic (Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan) and less than 3,000 cases are reported.
Religious suspicion is still the largest problem, but negotiations are ongoing. 2 new vaccines have been developed to deal with Type 1 and 3. Type 2 has been gone since '99.
Campaigns are huge efforts - house to house visits, blanket coverage of train stations, reaching every new born. National campaigns in India reach 150 million over 3 days and they do that 5 or 6 times a year.
When a case appears the response is massive, fast and of high quality to blanket the affected area. 124 labs worldwide monitor cases. The Western Hemisphere has been Polio free since 1995 - a young boy in Peru.
Fund raising is still ongoing - the national governments mostly pay for the vaccines, the operational, surveillance and social mobilization costs are paid from donations. The latest drive targetted 85 million and quickly raised 135. Them Bill and Melinda Gates donated 25 million and the WMF issued a forgivable loan and the total was raised by another 75.
Locally, Clubs can promote awareness of Polio Plus and do things like invite speakers on the subject. Tom committed to continue till Polio is wiped out and promised to be back.
George Boucher said it was an honour to thank Tom for coming and complimented him on his commitment and his passion and his example as a consience.
Fund raising is still ongoing - the national governments mostly pay for the vaccines, the operational, surveillance and social mobilization costs are paid from donations. The latest drive targetted 85 million and quickly raised 135. Them Bill and Melinda Gates donated 25 million and the WMF issued a forgivable loan and the total was raised by another 75.
Locally, Clubs can promote awareness of Polio Plus and do things like invite speakers on the subject. Tom committed to continue till Polio is wiped out and promised to be back.
George Boucher said it was an honour to thank Tom for coming and complimented him on his commitment and his passion and his example as a consience.