October observes both World Polio Day and the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the world's first safe and effective vaccine against this crippling and deadly disease. We also celebrate the fact that the world is on the verge of eradicating one of the most feared diseases of the 20th century.
When Rotary launched its push to end polio in the 1980s, the wild polio virus crippled nearly 1,000 people every day. Since then, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have reduced the incidence of polio by 99 percent. And the push continues. This year, India has the lowest number of polio cases in history. We are "this close" to ending polio once and for all.
Despite this tremendous progress, children in some developing countries continue to be infected. That's why Rotary and its partners must reach every child in some of the most challenging regions of the world with the oral polio vaccine. But the greatest challenge to the polio eradication effort is a funding shortage.
Rotary is working to raise US$200 million in response to a $355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. One day, polio will join smallpox as the only human diseases ever eradicated, fulfilling Rotary's promise to create a polio-free world.
.JPG;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
