The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invites all Rotarians to watch a webcast about the extraordinary progress in the fight to eradicate polio and the enormous lifesaving potential of vaccines. Where: www.gatesfoundation.org ; also available on demand

 
 
The global immunization effort has reduced polio by 99 percent, and we are on the cusp of eradicating the second disease in history. The webcast will present a powerful case for the value of vaccines. In the webcast, Bill Gates, cochair of the Gates Foundation, will join global leaders to discuss what the past can teach us about protecting children around the world from polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases. The event will be moderated by ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer, and speakers will include: 
  • Dr. David Oshinsky, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Polio: An American Story
  • Helen Rees, professor, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; chair, World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization
  • Dr. Ciro de Quadros, executive vice president, Sabin Vaccine Institute

Panelists will discuss why now is the time to rid the world of polio and ensure that all children have access to lifesaving vaccines. No child deserves to face the threat of preventable disease.