12 World Health • 48th Year, No. l, Jonuory-Februory 1995 Rotary's PolioPius Cary Silver

To date, Rotary International otarian Eddie Obianwu has has allocated more than stunned the world by raising more travelled thousands of miles US$ 181 million for Plus than $240 million- one of the largest Rand recruited thousands of vol­ fundraising efforts of its kind in unteers to help deliver poliomyelitis projects in 98 nations to history. To date, the Rotary vaccine to remote villages in . Foundation of Rotary International For the last four years, he has de­ protect some 500 million (which administers the fu nds) has voted himself almost night and day children. allocated more than $181 million for to the PolioPlus Programme of PolioPlus projects in 98 nations to Rotary International. He has vowed protect some 500 million children. that no child should ever be crippled motto of "Service Above Self'. Carlos Canseco, who served as by this disease, as long as the tech­ Rotarians believe that concerned and Rotary 's president when the pro­ nology exists to prevent it. involved volunteers can achieve gramme was officiall y launched in Eddie is part of a massive force of seeming miracles where 1984, called PolioPlus "a gift Rotary more than one million Rotarians governments traditionally fail. has given to the world. Not only the worldwide who are pursuing the gift of vaccine, but the gift of our same goal. Their strategies are as di­ vision and energy." Rotarians have verse as their cultures and countries. Acoalition for health donated their time, talents, and But they all have the same dream: to money. But their greatest contribu­ wipe out polio. In India, 36 000 In 1985, Rotary became the first tion may be their ability to recruit Rotarians and their families help to international private organization and motivate volunteers from a wide staff immunization posts and health to make a major commitment to cross-section of the community. centres. In the , child immunization in developing Rotary realized that it could pur­ Rotarians fight complacency with the countries. Through a programme sue its goal of only public service message, "Be Wise, called PolioPlus, it pledged to pro­ as part of a global coalition, along­ Immunize." In Zambia, they provide vide oral polio vaccine for newborn side WHO, UNICEF, the Pan polio vaccine to refugees from babies for up to five consecutive American Health Organization, the Mozambique. In the Philippines, years to any country that requested US Centers for Disease Control and they conduct house-to-house surveys assistance. The PolioPlus campaign Prevention, the Task Force for Child to determine which children have not had as its first goal to raise US$ 120 Survival and Development, and been immunized. million to fight polio. Rotarians others. These groups have combined Rotary their expertise International is an and resources to organization of attack polio more than 1.2 from all sides. million business and professional men and women in 26 000 clubs worldwide which Polio-free provide humani­ status? tarian service, encourage high Perhaps Rotary's ethical standards, greatest success and help build has been in the goodwill and Americas, which peace in the has not reported world. The orga­ a single case of nization is non­ indigenous polio­ political and non­ The PolioPius Programme of Rotary In ternational is playing a maior role in extending polio myelitis since sectarian, with a vaccination coverage to all children . August 1991. World Health • 48th Year, No. 1, Jonuory-februory 1995 13

In Peru - site of the last reported polio case in the Americas ­ Rotarians have had to cope with guerrilla warfare, economic pro­ blems and a cholera epidemic. In 1992, Peruvian members helped the government to carry out a massive "mop-up" effort to immunize two million children- the largest ever conducted in Latin America. While government vehicles were attacked, the Rotarians were able to enter areas controlled by the Shining Path guer­ rillas to deliver vaccine. In , the campaigners con­ front overwhelming obstacles on a daily basis - civil war, political insta­ bility, declining economies and poor infrastructure. In Liberia, Rotarians such as Gus Simpson have demon­ strated great courage in a country plunged into civil war. Simpson (whose house was burned down by rebels) and fellow Rotarians have continued to deliver vaccine, even in rebel-held areas. When asked why he hasn't given up on PolioPius, he responds: "My attitude is that you shouldn 't complain, but make things better." The campaign is also actively im­ munizing children in the developed

nations. US Rotarians, who once So long as there ore children affected by polio in the world, there can be no room for focused only on fundraising, have complacency. jump-started efforts to boost the low coverage levels in their own country. to achieve that last degree of cover­ be our gift to future generations. "It is crucial that we boost immu­ age. Indeed the greatest threat at this And for me personally, it will be a nization rates in the United States, point may be complacency. "We dream fulfilled." • because polio can still be re­ must stay motivated," says 1994-95 introduced from other countries," Rotary International President Bill warns Charles C. Keller, a former Huntley of England. "We must Rotary president. One of the latest guard against complacency until regions to benefit from PolioPlus is every country is certified as polio­ Eastern Europe, where new Rotary free. I am confident that we will clubs are being founded. In 1991, celebrate that day before Rotary's Romania became the first country in lOOth birthday in 2005." Eastern Europe to receive a In 1992, Rotary provided a grant PolioPlus grant. of $250 000 to WHO to help develop Ms Cary Silver is Assistant Editor of The Rotarian, official magazine of Rotary Despite the significant progress a heat-stable vaccine. In tum, WHO International. She has travelled to Thailand, made, PolioPlus faces new chal­ has recognized Rotary 's historic Indonesia, Nigeria, Mexico and Bolivia as a photo-journalist to cover Rotary's PolioPius lenges in the years ahead. The main achievements by presenting the Programme. Her address is 1560 Sherman focus of Rotarians today is on three organization with its highest honour, Avenue, Evanston, IL 6020 1·3968, USA areas: support to national immuniza­ the "Health for All" gold medal. tion days, particularly through social "It will be a proud day when we mobilization; surveillance; and advo­ can celebrate the end of polio- and cacy. As countries move closer to to know that we played a part," says the day they are certified as "polio Eddie Obianwu of Nigeria. "It will free", it becomes even more difficult