This has been a tough time for Rotary. Pakistan has seen four polio workers killed, the federal health minister sacked, and the head of the federal polio emergency operating center replaced. A propaganda campaign against the program linked fake illnesses to fake polio vaccines, leading to hysteria that needlessly hospitalized thousands of children. Quality assessments and other activities were suspended due to concern about worker safety and the general instability especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). Much of this may be in the context of upcoming local elections. 

There are conflicting reports in the media.There are also two new polio cases in the lab in Pakistan and three new cases in Afghanistan, raising the official count from nine to 12. In Afghanistan the Taliban hut down all immunizations in their area of control. They had earlier banned house-to-house efforts; now it is all immunizations. We’re making tremendous efforts to reverse this action. 

So my message to Rotarians is to emphasize our long-term progress, to highlight African progress, to assure that current challenges in Pakistan and Afghanistan are being addressed by our Rotary leaders, and to remind members that support is needed to bring us over the finish line.