Looking Back on 2021

Looking Back on 2021

No new Wild Polio cases reported this week!  Best Wishes for a Peaceful, Successful, Rotary-filled, Polio-free New Year to you all! 

What is that Polio Picture?  Want to know more about the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2?  The attached Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) update may help. Download here

Looking Back on 2021 – When we look back to 2021, it may be seen as a turning point for efforts to stop all forms of polio for good. In June, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) launched its new strategy to eradicate polio and protect against future health threats. Two months later, the WHO African Region celebrated one year since it was declared free from wild polio with countries’ recommitments to stopping all forms of poliovirus on the continent. And in Pakistan and Afghanistan – the final two countries endemic for wild poliovirus – transmission has fallen drastically in the past 12 months. Despite this fragile progress, circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) continue to paralyze children in under-immunized communities, and financial contributions are needed to implement the new strategy. Building from the progress of 2021, the GPEI is ready to maintain this momentum and overcome final challenges in 2022.  From the December 2021 GPEI Newsletter

World Polio Day 2021 Congratulations! – More than 4,260 Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs around the world registered their participation for World Polio Day. Donors contributed more than $748,000 online, for a total raised — with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s 2-to-1 match — of more than $2.3 million.

Rotary’s World Polio Day 2021 Global Update segments were viewed nearly 6.2 million times on our Facebook pages and YouTube channel and were downloaded more than 4,250 times.

In addition… On World Polio Day 2021, media outlets around the world published more than 900 news stories highlighting Rotary members and our work to end polio. That coverage included TVC News in Nigeria, the Times of MaltaABS-CBN News in the Philippines, and Saltwire in Canada.

Rotary members in the U.S. also had great success writing opinion pieces and letters to the editor, which appeared in publications such as MinnPost, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Bangor Daily News, and the Dallas Morning News.

Voice of America published two stories highlighting the progress Rotary and our partners have made against polio. One story, featuring Pakistan PolioPlus Committee Chair Aziz Memon, showcased his country’s efforts to eradicate polio and noted its low case counts. The other story, which quoted Rotary International PolioPlus Director Carol Pandak, reported on the resumption of polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan.

India’s Statesman published an opinion piece by India PolioPlus Committee Chair Deepak Kapur, in which he focused on what we’ve learned from COVID-19 about the importance of continued immunization and vigilance in maintaining India’s polio-free status.

Gary Hirsch, a member of the Rotary Club of Tucson, Arizona, USA, and co-chair of the Ride to End Polio fundraiser, spoke on a local radio program about Rotary’s polio eradication efforts and how, over the past 12 years, Rotary members’ participation in the El Tour de Tucson cycling event has — with the help of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 2-to-1 match — raised nearly $54 million.

 A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!

2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 489 – 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), DRC – 13 (81 in 2020), Ethiopia – 9 (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 – 10 (2 in 2020), Mali – 0 (52 in 2020), Malaysia – 0 (1 in 2020),  Niger – 10 (10 in 2020), Nigeria – 321 (8 in 2020), Pakistan – 8 (135 in 2020), Philippines – 0 (1 in 2020), Senegal  – 16 (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 – 1 (0 in 2020), and Yemen – 7 (33 in 2020).

New This Week – DRC – 2 cVDPV2 Cases and 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Egypt – 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Mauritania – 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Niger – 5 cVDPV2 Cases, Nigeria – 14 cVDPV2 Cases and 21 cVDPV2 Samples, Yemen – 2 cVDPV2 Cases. 

A total of 1,110 Vaccine Derived Polio cases were reported in 26 countries in 2020.

Quote of the Day

“I am a Rotarian because I revel in joy of belonging to an organization that not only provides each individual with all the true friends that one will ever need, but also because I wake up each morning knowing that my work will save and change a life that day.”

—Carolyn EW Pierce, Rotary Club of Dalton, MA

The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:

Pakistan

 

 

0 new Polio cases reported this week.
1 Wild Polio cases – 2021. The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 1/27/21.
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.
4 Wild Polio case – 2021. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 11/1/21.
56 Wild Polio cases – 2020.  No WPV1 & CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Sample were reported this week in Afghanistan.

Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!

Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36

Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Moves to Next Phase

Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Moves to Next Phase

No new Wild Polio cases reported this week!

What is that Polio Picture?Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Moves to Next Phase – On 11 October, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) recommended that novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) move to the next use phase, which could help to prevent outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). Looking at data from four large-scale campaigns delivering over 65 million doses, SAGE found no major safety concerns associated with the vaccine – opening the door for more countries to be eligible for nOPV2 use in the near future.

This week, Afghanistan completed a four day, country-wide Polio Vaccination Campaign targeting ten million children including 3.3 million who were missed since 2018 by the house to house vaccination ban.

WHO is very grateful to Germany for its generous contribution of €17.5 million, which will support the GPEI’s global Polio eradication activities. This corresponds to the last disbursement of Germany’s €35 million annual contribution to polio eradication efforts.

 A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!

House-to-house polio vaccination set to recommence across Afghanistan in November  –  WHO and UNICEF welcome the decision by the Taliban leadership supporting the resumption of house-to-house polio vaccination across Afghanistan.

The vaccination campaign, which begins on November 8, will be the first in over three years to reach all children in Afghanistan, including more than 3.3 million children in some parts of the country who have previously remained inaccessible to vaccination campaigns. A second nationwide polio vaccination campaign has also been agreed and will be synchronised with Pakistan’s own polio campaign planned in December.

2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 447 – Afghanistan – 43 (308 in 2020), Angola – 0 (3 in 2020),Benin – 2 (3 in 2020), Burkina Faso – 1 (65 in 2020), Cameroon – 1 (7 in 2020), CAR – 0 (4 in 2020), Chad – 0 (99 in 2020), Congo – 2 (2 in 2020), Cote d’ Ivoire – 0 (63 in 2020), DRC – 11 (81 in 2020), Ethiopia – 9 (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 – 10 (2 in 2020), Mali – 0 (52 in 2020), Malaysia – 0 (1 in 2020),  Niger – 5 (10 in 2020), Nigeria – 274 (8 in 2020), Pakistan – 8 (135 in 2020), Philippines – 0 (1 in 2020), Senegal  – 16 (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 – 1 (0 in 2020), and Yemen – 3 (33 in 2020).

New This Week – Congo – 1 cVDPV2 Environmental Sample, Cote d’Ivoire – 1 cVDPV2 (2020) Case, Gambia – 3 Samples, Niger – 3 cVDPV2 Cases, Nigeria – 19 cVDPV2 Samples, Senegal – 1 Sample. 

A total of 1,109 Vaccine Derived Polio cases were reported in 26 countries in 2020.

Quote of the Day

“Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free.”

Chang Tzu

The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:

Pakistan

 

 

0 new Polio cases reported this week.
1 Wild Polio cases – 2021. The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 1/27/21.
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 – 2021. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 1/1/21.
56 Wild Polio cases – 2020.  No WPV1 & CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Sample were reported this week in Afghanistan.

Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!

Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36

new Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 with Covid Vaccinations

new Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 with Covid Vaccinations

No new Wild Polio cases reported this week!

What is that Polio Picture? Parts of Nigeria are now offering the new Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 with Covid Vaccinations.  This picture shoes the Cross Rivers State Commissioner of Health, Dr Betta Edu, starting off the vaccination campaign. © WHO/Nigeria

 A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!

House-to-house polio vaccination set to recommence across Afghanistan in November  –  WHO and UNICEF welcome the decision by the Taliban leadership supporting the resumption of house-to-house polio vaccination across Afghanistan.

The vaccination campaign, which begins on November 8, will be the first in over three years to reach all children in Afghanistan, including more than 3.3 million children in some parts of the country who have previously remained inaccessible to vaccination campaigns. A second nationwide polio vaccination campaign has also been agreed and will be synchronised with Pakistan’s own polio campaign planned in December.

2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 444 – Afghanistan – 43 (308 in 2020), Angola – 0 (3 in 2020),Benin – 2 (3 in 2020), Burkina Faso – 1 (65 in 2020), Cameroon – 1 (7 in 2020), CAR – 0 (4 in 2020), Chad – 0 (99 in 2020), Congo – 2 (2 in 2020), Cote d’ Ivoire – 0 (62 in 2020), DRC – 11 (81 in 2020), Ethiopia – 9 (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 – 10 (2 in 2020), Mali – 0 (52 in 2020), Malaysia – 0 (1 in 2020),  Niger – 2 (10 in 2020), Nigeria – 274 (8 in 2020), Pakistan – 8 (135 in 2020), Philippines – 0 (1 in 2020), Senegal  – 16 (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 – 1 (0 in 2020), and Yemen – 3 (33 in 2020).

New This Week – Cameroon – 1 cVDPV2 Case, DR Congo – 1 cVDPV2 Case, Niger – 2 cVDPV2 Cases, Nigeria – 8 cVDPV2 Cases and 5 cVDPV2 samples.

A total of 1,108 Vaccine Derived Polio cases were reported in 26 countries in 2020.

Quote of the Day

“To prevent an effect from occurring at all requires a force equal to the cause of that effect, but to give it a new direction often requires only something very trivial.”

G.C. Lichtenberg 1742-1799

The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:

Pakistan

 

 

0 new Polio cases reported this week.
1 Wild Polio cases – 2021. The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 1/27/21.
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 – 2021. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 1/1/21.
56 Wild Polio cases – 2020.  No WPV1 & CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Sample were reported this week in Afghanistan.

Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!

Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36

Looking Back on 2021

novel oral polio vaccine against type 2 poliovirus (nOPV2)

No new Wild Polio cases reported this week!

What is that Polio Picture? A decade in the making, the novel oral polio vaccine against type 2 poliovirus (nOPV2) could help the world finally reach Polio eradication.Photo: World Health Organization.

World Polio Day – October 24, 2021

 A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!

2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 307 Afghanistan – 43 (308 in 2020), Angola – 0 (3 in 2020),Benin – 2 (3 in 2020), Burkina Faso – 1 (65 in 2020), Cameroon – 0 (7 in 2020), CAR – 0 (4 in 2020), Chad – 0 (99 in 2020), Congo – 2 (2 in 2020), Cote d’ Ivoire – 0 (61 in 2020), DRC – 10 (81 in 2020), Ethiopia – 9 (36 in 2020), Ghana – 0 (11 in 2020), Guinea – 6 (44 in 2020), Liberia – 3 (0 in 2020),Madagascar – 8 (2 in 2020), Mali – 0 (52 in 2020), Malaysia – 0 (1 in 2020),  Niger – 0 (10 in 2020), Nigeria – 151 (8 in 2020), Pakistan – 8 (135 in 2020), Philippines – 0 (1 in 2020), Senegal  – 14 (0 in 2020) ,Sierra Leone – 5 (10 in 2020), Somalia – 0 (13 in 2020), South Sudan – 9 (50 in 2020), Sudan – 0 (58 in 2020), Tajikistan – 32 (1 in 2020), Togo – 0 (9 in 2020), and Yemen – 3 (33 in 2020).

New This Week – Guinea – 1 cVDPV2 Environmental Sample, Madagascar – 2 cVDPV2 Cases, Mauritania – 2 cVDPV2 Samples, Senegal – 1 cVDPV2 Case & 3 cVDPV2 Samples

A total of 1,107 Vaccine Derived Polio cases were reported in 26 countries in 2020.

Quote of the Day

“Afghanistan is one of two countries in the world where polio remains endemic. With only one case of wild poliovirus reported so far this year, compared to 56 in 2020, there has never been a better time to eradicate polio. However, the polio program will struggle to respond if the basic immunization infrastructure begins to collapse around it.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization
Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean
on their visit to Kabul

The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:

Pakistan

 

 

0 new Polio cases reported this week.
1 Wild Polio cases – 2021. The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 1/27/21.
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 – 2021. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 1/1/21.
56 Wild Polio cases – 2020.  No WPV1 & CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Sample were reported this week in Afghanistan.

Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!

Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36