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Finish the job of eradicating Polio

Finish the job of eradicating Polio

by | Mar 24, 2023 | Terry's Polio Eradication Update

What is that Polio Picture?

Rotary International President insists Rotarians have to finish the job of eradicating Polio.  Rotary International President, Jennifer Jones, is on a brief tour of London. Speaking at the House of Commons she said that Rotary had to deliver on its promise to the children of the world that it would help to eradicate polio.  In this picture, RI President Jennifer Jones, Judith Diment, Rotary’s Polio Advocacy Coordinator & Dean of the Rotary Representative Network, and Aiden O’Leary, WHO’s Director for Polio Eradication, hear from MP Andrew Mitchell in the House of Commons. 

A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!

One new (2023) Wild Polio case reported this week.  We are now 4 weeks since the most recent reported Wild Polio Case – on 2/20/22 in Pakistan.

2023 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 14, Benin – 1, Chad – 2, Indonesia – 3, Israel – 1, Madagascar – 5, Nigeria – 1, Somalia – 1

New Polio Cases & Samples This Week – Afghanistan – 4 WPV1 Samples, Algeria – 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Benin – 2 cVDPV2 Samples, DR Congo – 3 cVDPV2 Cases + 2 cVDPV1 Cases, Indonesia – 1 (2023) cVDPV2 Case, Madagascar – 7 cVDPV1 Samples, Niger – 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Nigeria – 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Pakistan – 1 WPV1 Case.

2022 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Case Total – 831 Afghanistan – 43, Algeria – 3, Benin – 11 (3 in 2021), Burundi – 1, Cameroon – 3 (3 in 2021), Central African Republic – 5, Chad -44 (0 in 2021), DR Congo – 438 (28 in 2021), Republic of Congo – 1, Eritrea – 1, Ethiopia – 1, Ghana – 3, Indonesia – 1, Israel – 1, Madagascar – 14 (13 in 2021), Malawi – 4, Mali – 2, Mozambique – 21 (2 in 2021), Niger – 15 (18 in 2021), Nigeria – 48 (415 in 2021), Pakistan – 8, Somalia – 5 (1 in 2021), Sudan – 1, Togo – 2, United States – 1, Yemen – 162 (69 in 2021).

2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases -689 in 22 Countries.  

2020 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 1,113 in 26 countries in 2020.

Quote of the Day

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great“

— Zig Ziglar 

The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:

Pakistan

 

 

as of 3/25/2023

1 new Polio cases reported this week. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 2/20/23.
0 WPV1 and 0 CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
   20 Wild Polio cases – 2022
   1 Wild Polio case – 2021
   84 Wild Polio cases – 2020

Afghanistan

 

 

as of 3/25/2023

0 new Polio cases reported this week. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 9/10/22.
4 WPV1 and 0 CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
   2 Wild Polio case – 2022
   4 Wild Polio cases – 2021
   56 Wild Polio cases – 2020

Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!

Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36

Confidence in surveillance

Confidence in surveillance

by | Mar 17, 2023 | Terry's Polio Eradication Update

What is that Polio Picture?

Confidence in surveillance essential for certifying a Polio-free world – Latest recommendations from independent global certification body – The Global Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication (GCC) met recently in Amman, Jordan, to review progress towards interrupting wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) transmission in polio-endemic Pakistan and Afghanistan, implementation of the Global Surveillance Action Plan, and to hear from the six regional certification commissions on current regional priorities and issues.

“It will be the quality of poliovirus surveillance that will allow the GCC to certify the eradication of WPV1 with the highest possible level of confidence,” said Professor David Salisbury, GCC Chair. 

 

Support water, sanitation, and hygiene efforts on World Water Day (March 22)

A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!

2023 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 13, Benin – 1, Chad – 2, Indonesia – 2, Israel – 1, Madagascar – 5, Nigeria – 1, Somalia – 1

New Polio Cases & Samples This Week –  Benin – 1 (2023) cVDPV2 Case, Burundi – 1 cVDPV2 Case + 5 Samples, Chad – 2 (2023) cVDPV2 Cases, DR Congo – 6 cVDPV2 Cases, Niger – 1 cVDPV2 Case, Pakistan – 1 WPV1 Sample.

2022 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Case Total – 826.  Afghanistan – 43, Algeria – 3, Benin – 11 (3 in 2021), Burundi – 1, Cameroon – 3 (3 in 2021), Central African Republic – 5, Chad -44 (0 in 2021), DR Congo – 433 (28 in 2021), Republic of Congo – 1, Eritrea – 1, Ethiopia – 1, Ghana – 3, Indonesia – 1, Israel – 1, Madagascar – 14 (13 in 2021), Malawi – 4, Mali – 2, Mozambique – 21 (2 in 2021), Niger – 15 (18 in 2021), Nigeria – 48 (415 in 2021), Pakistan – 8, Somalia – 5 (1 in 2021), Sudan – 1, Togo – 2, United States – 1, Yemen – 162 (69 in 2021).

2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases -689 in 22 Countries.  

2020 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 1,113 in 26 countries in 2020.

Quote of the Day

“Everybody is a genius.  But if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree, it will live it’s whole life believing that it is stupid.”

— Albert Einstein 

The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:

Pakistan

 

 

as of 3/18/2023

0 new Polio cases reported this week. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 9/20/22.
1 WPV1 and 0 CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
   20 Wild Polio cases – 2022
   1 Wild Polio case – 2021
   84 Wild Polio cases – 2020

Afghanistan

 

 

as of 3/18/2023

0 new Polio cases reported this week. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 9/10/22.
0 WPV1 and 0 CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
   2 Wild Polio case – 2022
   4 Wild Polio cases – 2021
   56 Wild Polio cases – 2020

Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!

Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36

African leaders call for urgent action

African leaders call for urgent action

by | Mar 6, 2023 | Terry's Polio Eradication Update

What is that Polio Picture? 

African leaders call for urgent action to revitalize routine immunization – Addis Ababa ‒ African heads of state on 2/19/23 agreed on key measures to revamp routine immunization across the continent following massive disruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic that stymied childhood vaccination programs and heightened outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. A total of 8.4 million children in the African region, compared with 18 million globally, were left out by immunization services in 2021, according to estimates by UNICEF and WHO. Access to immunization services is even more difficult among poor or marginalized communities or those rendered vulnerable by conflicts or living in fragile settings.

At a high-level event on the side-lines of the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government, the leaders endorsed a declaration on “Building momentum for routine immunization recovery in Africa” which aims to “revitalize the momentum for all populations to have universal access to immunization to reduce mortality, morbidity and disability, and consequently help Member States to achieve their health SDGs and economic and development goals.”

A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!

2023 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 3  Indonesia -2, Nigeria -1, Somalia -1

New Polio Cases & Samples This Week – Afghanistan – Algeria – 2 cVDPV2 Samples, Benin – 1 cVDPV2 Case, Botswana – 2 cVDPV2 Samples, Cameroon – 1 cVDPV2 Case, DR Congo – 8 cVDPV2 Cases + 13 cVDPV1 Cases + 1 VDPV2 Sample, Republic of Congo – 1 VDPV1 Case, Malawi – 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Mali – 1 cVDPV2 case, Somalia – 1  cVDPV2 Case + 1 Sample, Yemen – 1 cVDPV2 Case.

2022 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Case Total – 789.  Afghanistan – 43, Algeria – 3, Benin – 11 (3 in 2021), Cameroon – 3 (3 in 2021), Central African Republic – 5, Chad -43 (0 in 2021), DR Congo – 400 (28 in 2021), Republic of Congo – 1, Eritrea – 1, Ethiopia – 1, Ghana – 3, Indonesia – 1, Israel – 1, Madagascar – 14 (13 in 2021), Malawi – 4, Mali – 2, Mozambique – 21 (2 in 2021), Niger – 14 (18 in 2021), Nigeria – 47 (415 in 2021), Pakistan – 8, Somalia – 5 (1 in 2021), Sudan – 1, Togo – 2, United States – 1, Yemen – 162 (69 in 2021).

2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases -689 in 22 Countries.  

2020 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 1,113 in 26 countries in 2020.

Quote of the Day

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.

“

— Edgar Allan Poe 

The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:

Pakistan

 

 

as of 3/4/2023

0 new Polio cases reported this week. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 9/20/22.
0 WPV1 and 0 CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
   20 Wild Polio cases – 2022
   1 Wild Polio case – 2021
   84 Wild Polio cases – 2020

Afghanistan

 

 

as of 3/4/2023

0 new Polio cases reported this week. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 9/10/22.
0 WPV1 and 0 CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
   2 Wild Polio case – 2022
   4 Wild Polio cases – 2021
   56 Wild Polio cases – 2020

Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!

Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36

Give Polio the Finger

Give Polio the Finger

by | Feb 28, 2023 | MOJO Blog

What does Give Polio The Finger mean?

Polio vaccinators paint the little finger of the left hand with a purple dye to indicate that someone has received the oral polio vaccine (OPV). This is done as part of a global effort to eradicate polio, a highly infectious disease that can cause permanent paralysis and even death.  Purple ink on the pinkie finger tells both volunteers and the child’s neighborhood that one more person is safe from the horror of polio.

When a child or adult receives the OPV, the vaccinator dips a cotton swab into a vial of purple dye and marks the person’s finger with a dot. The dye is harmless and fades away over a few days. The purple mark is a way to help health workers quickly identify people who have been vaccinated and those who have not. It’s particularly helpful in places where vaccine records are not easily accessible, or where there may be language barriers or other challenges that make it difficult to track who has been vaccinated.

It is more than a way to identify who has been immunized. It is a symbol of defiance against a crippling disease and a symbol of hope for a polio free world. No one is safe until all are safe. Polio has been reduced by 99%. We are closer than ever to ending this crippling disease forever. For as little as 60 cents, a child can be vaccinated against polio for life.

You can follow the continued efforts of Rotary International’s End Polio Now efforts on this site and at EndPolio.org

Although these apparel items were originally sold through GivePolioTheFinger.org, they are no longer available.  If you are interested in using the GPTF logo for your own Rotary fundraiser, contact us and we’ll send you the file and you can use your own printer. 

The GPTF logo is not approved by Rotary International and you should not use the Rotary Masterbrand or Mark of Excellence in conjunction with the logo. 

Support polio vaccines for children

Please consider contributing to Rotary’s PolioPlus Fund, and have your donation matched 2-to-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Your donation helps us reach vulnerable children with the polio vaccine and other essential health services.

DONATE TODAY
End Polio Newsletter – February 2023

End Polio Newsletter – February 2023

by | Feb 28, 2023 | MOJO Blog

2022 in review

For polio eradication efforts, 2022 brought good news. Fewer genetic strains of the virus are circulating than ever before. Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic. And support from political, medical, and community leaders in those areas has strengthened vaccination efforts during the past year. Global support for polio eradication also reached new heights, as was proven at the World Health Summit in October, when Rotary and international partners and donors pledged a combined US$2.6 billion to eradicate the disease.

There were challenges in 2022 as well. The poliovirus appeared in places it hasn’t been for a long time: Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States, to name a few. Wild poliovirus cases were reported in Mozambique, related to the 2021 case in Malawi caused by wild poliovirus imported from Pakistan. News of these cases didn’t slow our eradication efforts, however. If anything, it made us even more determined. Now is our best chance to finish the fight against polio.

In 2023, we need everyone’s help. We invite you to use the call to action “Together, we end polio” to express our collective will to finish the job. Explore the shareable images, ads, and other materials on Rotary’s Brand Center, and check again throughout the year, because we’ll add even more content. Let’s work together to end this disease forever.

Promote the power of vaccines for World Immunization Week this April

With decades of experience in polio eradication, Rotary members play a key role in publicizing the power of vaccines. In part because Rotary members and partners have worked so hard to counteract vaccine hesitancy and reach all children with the polio vaccine, we’ve immunized billions of children against the disease.

World Immunization Week, 24-30 April, is an opportunity for Rotary and Rotaract clubs to spread the message that vaccines save lives. It’s critical to continue polio vaccinations for children around the world and to advocate for COVID-19 vaccinations for all.

Download the World Immunization Week Toolkit
To end polio, address community needs

Rotary’s PolioPlus program integrates polio immunization work and efforts to provide basic services, such as access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Because poliovirus is transmitted through contaminated water, improving water quality, in addition to vaccinating people, is critical to stopping its spread. When we address a community’s basic needs, we also build goodwill and trust that support our polio vaccination campaigns.

Learn how clean water helps us end polio
Rotary and polio in the news
  • Bloomberg News, an international news agency, quoted Carol Pandak, Rotary’s director of PolioPlus, in a piece that emphasized the fact that if polio exists anywhere, it is a threat everywhere. The article also highlights Rotary’s role in inspiring the start of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
  • Punch, a national Nigerian daily newspaper, published an opinion piece by Rotarian Kunle Adeyanju, who rode a motorbike from London to Lagos to raise awareness of the need to end polio.
  • Der Tagesspiegel, a national German daily newspaper, featured PolioPlus National Advocacy Adviser Anne von Fallois in connection with the funding commitment event at the World Health Summit in Berlin.
  • Financial Times quoted Carol Pandak noting that polio anywhere is a threat everywhere in an article published on 23 October.
  • Fox 32 (Chicago) conducted a live, in-studio interview with polio survivor Ina Pinkney for World Polio Day.  Pinkney stressed the importance of vaccination, noting that polio is 100% preventable and 100% incurable.
  • NEWS CENTER Maine (NBC affiliate) interviewed polio survivor Ann Lee Hussey about her work to immunize children and featured Rotary information and hyperlinks, teasing World Polio Day. More recently, Hussey was featured on Maine Calling, a live call-in program, along with Janell Routh (epidemiologist, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and Dora Anne Mills (chief health improvement officer, MaineHealth), to share her experiences as a polio survivor and Rotary member.
Support polio vaccines for children

Please consider contributing to Rotary’s PolioPlus Fund, and have your donation matched 2-to-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Your donation helps us reach vulnerable children with the polio vaccine and other essential health services.

DONATE TODAY

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