November is Rotary Foundation Month. It is time to celebrate Rotary's global impact and encouraging Rotarians to share the organization's achievements. The Rotary Foundation has invested more than $4 billion in humanitarian work worldwide and supports Rotary's seven areas of focus. In that context Past Rotary District 5370 Governor Jackie Hobal, the End Polio Now Coordinator for Rotary Zone 28 West (Zone 28 is all of Canada, Alaska and parts of Northern USA) focused on the global campaign to rid the world of polio eradication -- the flagship humanitarian initiative Rotary launched in the 1980s now a massive collaboration with foundations, governments and world health agencies.
Jackie reviewed Rotary's progress, challenges, and ongoing commitment to eliminating polio worldwide.
> Polio eradication remains unfinished. Although cases have fallen dramatically, the disease still exists, primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
> Rotary and its partners have made enormous progress:
> Billions of children have been vaccinated.
> An estimated 20 million cases of paralysis have been prevented.
> Rotary has contributed more than $3 billion to the effort.
> Rotary's global health infrastructure now supports other disease-fighting initiatives, including outbreak surveillance and response efforts beyond polio.
Three personal stories illustrated the impact of polio and demonstrate how access to timely medical care can dramatically change outcomes for people affected by polio.
> Argentine, a polio survivor from Argentina now living in Edmonton, did not receive treatment until age 13 and endured years of surgeries to walk.
> Ramesh, a past Rotary district governor and polio survivor, received treatment as an infant and became an international advocate for polio eradication.
> Jackie shared her own childhood experience during the polio era, describing the fear families felt when children contracted the disease and recalling receiving the experimental Salk vaccine in 1954.
Jackie summarized some background on Rotary's End Polio campaign over the past 40 years.
> Rotary began immunization efforts in the Philippines in 1979.
> The PolioPlus program was launched in 1985, becoming one of Rotary's most ambitious global initiatives.
>Major milestones include:
> Elimination of polio in the Americas (1994).
> Elimination of wild polio from Africa (2020).
The End Polio campaign continues to face challenges in finally ridding the world of polio. For instance, a significant setback occurred when the Taliban restricted vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, leading to increased cases. Jackie stressed that stopping immunization efforts too soon could allow polio to return, drawing parallels to recent measles outbreaks here in North America.
Canadian Jennifer Jones, former Rotary International President, is now Chair of The Rotary Foundation. She has advocated over the years for the End Polio campaign – having, participated personally in door-to-door immunization visits to children in a village of Pakistan -- and for The Rotary Foundation. Jennifer says the single key word for Rotary is "Impact".
Over time Rotary has developed partnerships with organizations such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Strong support from governments and donors around the world, including Canada.
Jackie appeals to fellow Rotarians to:
> continue educating others about polio;
> advocate for vaccination;
> support fundraising efforts such as PolioPlus campaigns and local initiatives;
>stay committed until polio is completely eradicated everywhere.
Jackie's presentation was both a celebration of Rotary's achievements and a reminder that the fight against polio is not over. Through stories of survivors, historical milestones, and current challenges, the speaker emphasizes that Rotary's decades-long investment has brought the world closer than ever to eradication. But continued awareness, advocacy, and funding are essential to reach the finish line.
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| (on right) Recently published book of photos and stories of children still afflicted with polio by Rotary New Westminster member, professional photographer and polio survivor, who has been a long time advocate for End Polio, Gabor Gasztonyi | |
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