I watched the Livestream online event at 10pm on the night of 24 October 2013. It was 5:30 pm Chicago time.
This was World Polio Day. Rotary had invited people from around the world to partake in this online event.
Rather than read my summary watch the event at
http://new.livestream.com/rotaryinternational/worldpolioday. Also look up polioeradication.org
RI President Ron Burton introduced the evening with a summary of Rotary’s involvement.
When Polio is eradicated it will rank as the greatest achievements in global health history. It will only be the second disease ever eliminated.
The last 1% of cases is the hardest.
The above screen shot is from End Polio’s Facebook site. It summarizes how close we are to finishing. We are this close.
These are my notes on the event
- Rotary first got involved in 1985, with the first campaign in the Philippines
- We were so successful in mobilizing large numbers of people that the World Health Organsation, and UNICEF got involved.
- There have been some amazing milestones with Polio Plus. eg
- 1995: 165 million children vaccinated in one week in China
- 1997: 134 million immunized in India in ONE day
- They even stopped trains leaving stations.
- 2007: Bill & Melida Gates get involved with $100 million pledged if Rotary matches it. We did.
- 2009: Gates pledges $355 million if we raise $200 million by 20 June 2012. We did.
- 2011: PM Julia Gillard pledges $50 million. By the end of CHOGM, $100 million had been pledged.
NOW on 24th October 2013
- 2013: India has been POLIO FREE for 3 years!
- For a year there has been NO case of type 2 virus anywhere in the world. That leave only types 1 & 3.
- A new vaccine OPV just for this is very effective.
- Bill Gates will give $2 for every $1 we now raise.
- BUT polio was found on Oct 17 in Syria, which had been polio free since 1999.
- Polio cases are fewer this year in the endemic countries (103 in total)
- BUT there are 198 cases this year in the Horn of Africa from reinfected countries.
- Bill Gates gives to the Rotary Foundation will you?
- We CAN do it. We are THIS CLOSE.
Reporter Margaret Northcote