Dear Polio Eradication Warriors,

One new Wild Polio cases reported this week. See attached report.

What is that Polio Picture?  Combination Covid support & Polio immunization campaigns are underway in Afghanistan.  This picture shows Nasrin Ahmadi who has been working with the Polio program since 2010. Starting as a volunteer, she has moved up the ranks to become a District Polio Officer.

“I chose to continue to do public health awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic. I wanted to help save people’s lives and continue to serve my people,” says Nasrin Ahmadi, a polio worker and volunteer for the COVID-19 response in Mazar, Balkh Province.  Seven months since the first COVID-19 case was reported in Afghanistan, female polio program front line workers continue to support outbreak response. Often, they put concerns for their health to the side as they work in areas with many COVID-19 cases. Sometimes, their work brings them into conflict with the social norms of their community and society.

Let’s Take Action!  World Polio Day – October 24

A polio-free world is possible, but we can achieve it only by taking action together. With the challenges to vaccination programs posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s even more crucial that Rotary continues to build awareness and raise funds for polio eradication.

Join the effort to vaccinate children and end polio by organizing a World Polio Day event for your club and community. In 2019, Rotary members held more than 5,900 events in 136 countries. This year, online events and activities will allow us to expand our reach even more and inspire others to join us.

WHO would like to thank the Pakistan Assistance Program of the United Arab Emirates, who have released US$ 17.9 million to support the resumption of immunization activities, including outbreak response, in high risk districts of Pakistan. Campaigns have resumed following a temporary pause during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now that we are down to the Final Two Polio Endemic Countries – I will be listing Sixteen Reasons We need to End Polio in Pakistan (from Dawn.com):  # 6.  Polio can be completely eradicated from the world.  Unlike most diseases, the crippling virus can be eliminated through vaccination.  There are three strains of the virus and none of them can survive outside of a human body.  It will die if it cannot find an unvaccinated person to infect.

A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!

How Many Children have we saved from the paralysis of Polio?
That number has now reached 20 Million! That’s a number to celebrate and to share!

Vaccine Derived Polio Cases –   403  Vaccine Derived Polio Cases reported in 2020:  Afghanistan – 79 (0 in 2019), Angola – 3 (129 in 2019), Benin – 1 (8 in 2019), Burkina Faso – 9 (1 in 2019), Cameroon – 5 (0 in 2019), CAR – 2 (21 in 2019), Chad 66 ((10 in 2019), China – 0 (1 In 2019),    Cote d’ Ivoire 24 (0 in 2019),DRC – 56 (86 in 2019),Ethiopia – 16 (11 in 2019),Ghana – 11 (18 in 2019), Guinea – 18 (0 in 2019), Malaysia – 1 (3 in 2019), Myanmar – 0 (6 in 2019),  Niger – 4 (1 in 2019),Nigeria – 1 (18 in 2019),Pakistan – 64 (22 in 2019), Papua New Guinea – 0 (0 in 2019). Philippines – 1 (16 in 2019),  Somalia – 19 (3 in 2019), South Sudan – 3 (0 in 2019), Sudan – 3, Togo – 9 (8 in 2019), Zambia – 0 (2 in 2019)

361 Vaccine Derived Polio cases were reported in 2019.

Quote of the Day

“The world is more malleable than you think, and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape.”  Bono

The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:

0 new Polio cases reported this past week.
53 Wild Polio cases – 2020. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 8/22/20.
29 Wild Polio cases – 2019. Two Polio-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.  

Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!

Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 26