Rotarians asked to commit more support to Polio fight

HEALTH | POLIO

Rotarians in Uganda have been asked to commit more support to global immunization against polio.

The past district governor of District 9211 of Uganda and Tanzania, Robert Nsibirwa said; "We still need to reach every child with the polio vaccine."

Nsibirwa while delivering Rotary International's statement on the declaration of Africa Polio free by the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday said Africa has suffered tremendously from polio over the years.

"We are relieved to be free of it," he said. This was at a press conference held in Kampala yesterday.

He added; "We are grateful to WHO, the Uganda National Expanded Programme (UNEPI) and the health ministry for putting up a united front and eliminating polio from Uganda."

Uganda was declared polio free in 2006. He said that every Rotary Club is expected to continue contributing between $1000- $2000 every year to Polio Plus to support governments to carry on with immunization against polio.

Rotary International and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) hailed Africa's historic public health achievement.

The milestone was announced by Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) on Wednesday. 

In addition to volunteer work, Rotary has contributed $2 billion since the launch of its polio programme, Polio Plus, in 1985.

This comes four years after Nigeria - the last polio-endemic country in Africa - recorded its final case of wild poliovirus.

Rotary International says that routine immunization must be strengthened to keep immunity levels high so that the wild poliovirus does not return.

Africa now features among five out of six World Health Organization (WHO)'s regions which are wild polio-free.

According to Nsibirwa as long as 0.1% of wild virus continues to circulate in Afghanistan and Pakistan, all children are at risk.

The District public image officer, Hellen Kawesa supplemented; "We should continue working together to ensure that the remaining 0.1% of polio is eliminated."

According to Rotary, 9 billion doses of oral polio vaccine have been administered, hundreds of millions of children immunized. About 1.8 million cases of wild poliovirus have been averted throughout Africa.

Rotary International President, Holger Knaack, in a press statement yesterday said; "In the face of a pandemic, the world has had very little good news to celebrate in global health this year, and the challenges ahead are formidable.

That is why we must recognize this great achievement and commend all of the people who played important roles in eradicating wild polio in the African region.

It took tremendous effort and partnership over many years."  He noted; "Polio vaccination efforts throughout the African region must continue."