Tenacious surveillance a key to progress in the eradication of polio
By Diana Schoberg
Several African countries are considered at high risk for a polio outbreak. But for many years, Malawi wasn’t one of them.
The nation has a sound public health infrastructure, and its immunization rate is good. The last time a child there had been paralyzed by polio was in 1992, decades before all countries on the continent were deemed polio-free. “Imagine how many children were born and grew up without knowing polio,” says Jamal Ahmed, coordinator of the polio eradication program in the African region for the World Health Organization. So, when a child in Malawi tested positive for wild polio in February 2022, “it was a surprise,” Ahmed says.
It was a similarly unwelcome surprise a few months later when Janell Routh saw an email from Kirsten St. George at the Wadsworth Center, the polio reference lab in New York State. The lab had identified a case of polio in an unvaccinated man living in Rockland County, about 30 miles north of Manhattan. “That was quite a shock,” says Routh, a medical officer in the Division of Viral Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We never thought that we would see a case of paralytic polio in the United States.”
So how did health workers discover polio in two countries long considered polio-free? And how can they be sure it’s gone now? This process of searching for a disease is known as surveillance, something that Rotary has supported with $73.6 million in funding over the past five years. As the worldwide eradication of polio approaches, surveillance will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the world is truly polio-free.
In Pakistan, one of two remaining polio endemic countries, environmental surveillance plays an important role in detecting the virus. As of June 2023, the country had 114 sewage collection sites; 1 percent of the samples tested positive for the virus in the first six months of the year.
PHOTO 1: World Health Organization
Lab technicians take water samples at Bhalswa Lake in Delhi, India, to test for poliovirus. This process, known as environmental surveillance, helps officials search for asymptomatic cases that could signal an outbreak.
I hope this message finds you well. This is your final reminder to register for our upcoming "Growing Stronger Together" event. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with our Rotary community.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023
Time: 7:45 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Harper College's Wojcik Conference Center, Palatine, IL
Your participation will not only benefit you but also contribute to the strength and impact of our Rotary family. We look forward to seeing you there! If you've already registered, thank you for your prompt response. Let's make this event a resounding success as we come together to learn, grow, and continue making a positive difference in our community and the world.
Best regards,
Michael
Michael Shoultz, District 6440 Learning Facilitator
Rotary Club of Northbrook Teams Up with Glenview Sunrise, Glenview and Deerfield Rotary Clubs and Two Men and A Truck to expand the Annual Coat Off Your Back Drive
Giving a Fresh Start to New Refugees, Homeless &Vets
Temperatures are dropping and for most of us-grabbing a jacket to wear is as simple as opening the closet. Imagine coming to the Midwest for the first time, after leaving your home with nothing…and then having to face a Chicago freeze.
It Takes A Village…or two or three!
Rotary Club of Northbrook’s annual “Coat Off Your Back” drive is being joined this year by the Glenview Sunrise Club, Glenview Club, Deerfield Club and Two Men and A Truck to expand the reach as the need grows.
“Refugees are settling in the Midwest during our most challenging season, but we are ready to help!” says event chair Rick Rosenfeld of Glenview Sunrise Rotary, echoed by Sandy Frum, president of the Rotary Club of Northbrook.
The goal is to make sure that local refugees settling organizations such as Women and Children and Homeless – Connections for the Homeless; PADS of Lake County; Wings; North Shore Helpers; Veterans – The Veterans Closet; Refugees – Refugee One; World Relief; HIAS; ECC; Stock the Shelves; Deerfield Free Store have a great supply to distribute to all ages. This drive is collecting new or like-new Winter coats for infants, children, teens, and adults they serve.
“So many of us annually sort through and buy updated coats, jackets, and other winter outerwear. This year – as you go through your previous season winterwear - consider donating to Coat Off Your Back! Our teams of volunteers are processing them immediately to get them in the hands of families now. We encourage you to purchase new items to donate as well.”
The Coat Off Your Back drive will begin on November 1st and run through December 15th
Chair Rick Rosenfeld, who is a local business owner of Journey Softly, and Rotarian, has put together a team and process that will coordinate the pickup the coats from drop-off sites, sort and size for distribution. Other businesses are getting involved to help as well.
Two Men and a Truck jumped in last year and are now a co-sponsor and transport lead. Owner Brian Stern says, “We are thrilled to be part of this important cause! Transportation is a key requirement for getting the hundreds of donations delivered to sorting centers, and then to the organizations who distribute them.”
Donation bins for the Rotary Clubs’ “Coat Off Your Back” drive can be found throughout the Village of Northbrook and Glenview at the following locations through December 15th:
Northbrook Village Hall
Northbrook Library
Sunset Foods (Northbrook)
Weiss Ace Hardware (Glenview-on Waukegan)
Glenview Tennis Center (Park District)
Orange Theory (Northbrook)
Illuminate Northbrook (Event on Nov. 17th)
Please join Rotarians in collecting needed winter gear. All sizes and genders from adult to children will help. We can accept hats, gloves, scarves in new condition. For additional locations, log on to RotaryNorthbrook.org.
Here is the first Rotarian Minute entirely written by an artificial intelligence!
START DOC:
#3 – January 25, 2023
1’ to discover an aspect of Rotary This text was generated by the artificial intelligence Chat GPT, without any intervention of the editor
Why become a Rotarian in 2023? By becoming a Rotarian in 2023, you can enjoy many benefits. Rotarians are community leaders who meet regularly to exchange ideas, establish professional connections, and plan service projects in their community and around the world. Joining a Rotary club allows you to work with people in your community to improve the lives of others and make a positive impact in the world.
Additionally, Rotary members have access to a wide network of professional contacts and can benefit from personal and leadership development opportunities. Rotary is a great way to give back to the community and make a difference. Joining Rotary also allows you to connect with like-minded people, create new relationships and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Rotary also provides its members with a platform to share their knowledge, skills and expertise to make a positive impact on the society.
The Rotary Minute is a creation of District 1700, France. Please send any comments or suggestions to laminute1
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