Fox Valley Sunset Rotary campaigns to end polio
West Dundee Village President Christopher Nelson presented a proclamation recognizing Oct. 24 as World Polio Day at the Oct. 20 meeting of the West Dundee village board. The proclamation was requested by the Rotary Club of Fox Valley Sunset, a local chapter of Rotary International.
Nelson encouraged "all citizens to join Rotary International in the fight for a polio-free world." Wild polio is only now in two countries. According to the World Health Organization, polio was endemic in 125 countries as recently as 1988.
The Rotary Club of Fox Valley Sunset has joined with Rotary International chapters nationwide to utilize "World Polio Day" on Oct. 24 as a springboard for community action and to raise awareness and funding to permanently eradicate the infectious disease. Though preventable by vaccination, polio still threatens children in South Asia.
The proclamation was made in response to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a "public-private partnership led by national governments with six partners," including Rotary International.
When the initiative was launched in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio per year.
Today, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent and just two countries continue to report any cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Rotary International has contributed more than $2.2 billion to ending polio since 1985.
With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary International and its partners aim to sustain this progress and reach every child with the polio vaccine.
Rotary International has pledged to raise U.S. $50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged a 2-to-1 match, for a total yearly contribution of U.S. $150 million.
The Rotary Club of Fox Valley Sunset meets every first and third Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at 33 E. Woodstock Street (Philanthropy Center entrance). Or join virtually via Zoom.
For information, visit rotary6440.org/clubinfo/fox-valley-sunset or www.facebook.com/RotaryClubOfFoxValleySunset/.
Rotary International is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who unite and take action to create lasting change in communities around the globe. For more than 115 years, Rotary's people of action have used their passion, energy, and intelligence to improve lives through service. From promoting literacy and peace to providing clean water and improving health care, Rotary members are always working to better the world. Visit endpolio.org to learn more about Rotary and the fight to eradicate polio.