The World Health Organization (WHO) African Region has been declared free of wild poliovirus!! Take a moment at your meetings to celebrate this incredible achievement and historic step on the path to global polio eradication and to remember the long journey to this moment.

 

Rotarians can also take pride in knowing that the work we have done delivering the polio vaccine resulted in health care infrastructures around the world that had not existed before. That infrastructure is now being utilized in the surveillance of many diseases including COVID-19. Surveillance is a key component of the fight. The entire Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which Rotary began, is playing a critical role. You and Rotary are relevant to what’s happening today!

 

Pakistan has begun polio immunizations again after a pause related to the coronavirus. We only have Pakistan and Afghanistan to go before our long journey to eradicate polio from the world is a reality. But to achieve it, I’ll quote Bruce Lee, “"The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus."  The monetary benchmark is $1,500 from each District 5950 club’s annual fundraising activities.

 

World Polio Day is October 24. Consider hosting a concert, a walk, or a viewing party for events scheduled that day. See more ideas at endpolio.org/world-polio-day.

 

Feel free to call upon District Polio Chair Tim Mulcrone (pictured) for a Polio Program or combined The Rotary Foundation and Polio Program to learn more of our remarkable work, the challenges that lie ahead, and how our polio eradication efforts are relevant in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Contact Tim at 952-239-1594 or timmulcrone@aol.com.