One day, one focus: ending polio – World Polio Day was on Monday, October 24. Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we’ve reduced polio cases by 99.9% since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.
Rotary members have contributed more than US$2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly three billion children in 122 countries from this paralysing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than US$10 billion to the effort.
Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyse as many as 200,000 children each year.
In addition, with the kind permission of owners the Hub on the Hill, St Thomas’ Church Winchelsea and Rye Castle Museum Ypres Tower are being lit in purple during this week in recognition of World Polio Day.
Our thanks go to these organisations for their ongoing support of their local Rotary club. Club president Bill Coleman said: “There are now a number of sites in our community planted with purple crocus as part of Rotary campaign to end polio, including Valley Park, East Guldeford and now the Hub on Rye Hill. The colour purple is used to mark the child’s finger once they have been vaccinated.”
Image Credits: Rye Rotary .
Our apologies, due to a communication error on our part, we did not manage to get St Thomas’ Church Winchelsea lit in purple this year. We thank everyone for their support this year and look forward to 2023 and more building’s being lit in purple in recognition of the Rotary Polio appeal.