World Polio Day: Rotary Club of Milpitas Fights to End Polio Worldwide

News from the Rotary Club of Milpitas

— In honor of World Polio Day, which is widely recognized on October 24th, the ROTARY CLUB of MILPITAS is currently raising funds as part of Rotary’s 27-year mission to eradicate the crippling childhood disease. World Polio Day follows a succession of significant developments that have made 2014 one of the most important years in the history of the polio eradication initiative.

Today, there are only three countries that have never stopped transmission of the polio virus: Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Fewer than 250 polio cases were reported worldwide in 2012, which is a 99% reduction since the 1980s, when the world saw about 1,000 cases per day.

If we don’t stay the course, experts say polio could rebound to 10 million cases in the next 40 years.

A highly infectious disease, polio causes paralysis and is sometimes fatal. As there is no cure, the best protection is prevention. For as little as 60 cents (US) worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life. After an international investment of more than $9 billion (US), and the successful engagement of over 200 countries and 20 million volunteers, polio could be the first human disease of the 21st century to be eradicated.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). It includes the support of governments and other private sector donors. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said, “Rotary in particular has inspired my own personal commitment to get deeply involved in achieving eradication.”

Since 1985, Rotary has contributed nearly $1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries.

“In 1985, Rotary International made a promise to the children of the world to eradicate polio from the face of the earth,” said Eric Emmanuele, Milpitas Rotary Club President. “The members of the Milpitas Rotary Club are dedicated to helping Rotary International achieve this goal, and are excited that Polio could be eradicated from the earth in the very near future.”

The message to world leaders is clear: support the final push to achieve eradication now while the goal has never been closer, or face the potential consequences of a new polio pandemic that could disable millions of children within a decade.

With this goal in mind, Mayor Jose Estevez, at the request of Milpitas City Council member and Rotarian Debbie Giordano, will be presenting Milpitas Rotary Club President Eric Emmanuele a Proclamation for WORLD Polio Day at the October 21, 2014 City Council meeting.

About Rotary

Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges at both a local and international level. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas.