What is that Polio Picture? This picture shows Pakistan – After nearly 15 months without any reported cases of wild polio in Pakistan, a 15-month-old boy in North Waziristan was paralyzed by the wild poliovirus.
Pakistan’s Polio Emergency Operations Centers have deployed teams to conduct a full investigation of the recent case, while emergency immunization campaigns are underway to prevent further spread of the wild poliovirus to other parts of Pakistan and across the Afghan border.
While this news is disappointing, it is not entirely unexpected. Despite record-low case counts, throughout 2021, polio surveillance in Pakistan had detected positive environmental samples indicating that the virus continues to circulate in parts of the country. As the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) responds urgently to the new case, Rotary members in Pakistan will work to raise awareness about the importance of polio immunization and advocate with the government to prioritize eradication.
The case in Pakistan underscores the fact that our work is not over, and any complacency can hinder the polio program’s progress. It is critical that Rotary members around the world intensify their efforts to raise funds for PolioPlus, so that we can provide the funding necessary to respond to any new cases of polio in polio-endemic and outbreak countries. At the same time, Rotary members can be proud of the work they have done to bring wild polio case counts to a historic low, and can continue to leverage this momentum to make polio eradication a reality.
GENEVA, April 26, 2022
Today, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) announced that it is seeking new commitments (to total $4.8 Billion) to fund its 2022-2026 Strategy at a virtual event to launch its investment case. The strategy, if fully funded, will see the vaccination of 370 million children annually for the next five years and the continuation of global surveillance activities for polio and other diseases in 50 countries.
The investment case outlines new modeling that shows achieving eradication could save an estimated US $33.1 billion this century, compared to the price of controlling polio outbreaks.
Ukraine
Thanks to all of you who made a donation to The Rotary Foundation’s Disaster Response Fund to automatically support Ukraine. Your funds will be used to help the over four million refugees fleeing their homes in Ukraine.
2022 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Case Total – 52. DR Congo – 26 (28 in 2021), Israel – 1, Madagascar – 1 (12 in 2021), Nigeria – 17 (415 in 2021), Somalia – 2 (1 in 2021), Yemen – 5 (64 in 2021) .
2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 659 – Afghanistan – 43 (308 in 2020), Angola – 0 (3 in 2020),Benin – 2 (3 in 2020), Burkina Faso – 1 (65 in 2020), Cameroon – 3 (7 in 2020), CAR – 0 (4 in 2020), Chad – 0 (99 in 2020), Congo – 2 (2 in 2020), Cote d’ Ivoire – 0 (64 in 2020), DR Congo – 28 (81 in 2020), Ethiopia – 10 (36 in 2020), Ghana – 0 (11 in 2020), Guinea – 6 (44 in 2020), Guinea Bissau – 3 (0 on 2020), Liberia – 3 (0 in 2020),Madagascar – 13 (2 in 2020), Mali – 0 (52 in 2020), Malaysia – 0 (1 in 2020), Mozambique – 2, Niger – 17 (10 in 2020), Nigeria – 415 (8 in 2020), Pakistan – 8 (135 in 2020), Philippines – 0 (1 in 2020), Senegal – 17 (0 in 2020) ,Sierra Leone – 5 (10 in 2020), Somalia – 1 (14 in 2020), South Sudan – 9 (50 in 2020), Sudan – 0 (58 in 2020), Tajikistan – 32 (1 in 2020), Togo – 0 (9 in 2020), Ukraine – 2 (0 in 2020), and Yemen – 32 cVDPV2 + 3 cVDPV1 (33 in 2020).
New Polio Cases & Samples This Week – DR Congo – 4 cVDPV2 Cases, Israel 13 cVDPV3 Samples, Nigeria – 1 cVDPV2 Case, Occupied Palestine Territory – 7 cVDPV2 Samples, Pakistan – 1 WPV1 Case, Somalia – 1 cVDPV2 Case.
A total of 1,110 Vaccine Derived Polio cases were reported in 26 countries in 2020.
Quote of the Day
“We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It’s our basic human right.”
— Aretha Franklin
The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:
Pakistan
1 new Polio cases reported this week.
1 Wild Polio cases – 2022. The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 4/09/22. Pakistan reported 1 Wild Polio case in 2021. 84 Wild Polio cases – 2020.
No WPV1 & CVDPV2 Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Pakistan.
Afghanistan
0 new Polio cases reported this past week.
1 Wild Polio case – 2022. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 1/1/21. Afghanistan reported 4 Wild Polio cases in 2021. 56 Wild Polio cases – 2020.
No WPV1 & CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36
