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23
February
Rotary's
US$ 100 Million Challenge launched to Rotary Clubs to end polio
A
giant Rotary wheel - the organization's logo - and the words "End Polio
Now" were beamed onto the side of the House of Commons to the left of Big
Ben on Rotary International's 103rd Birthday on Saturday, 23rd February - to
start a challenge to raise US$ 100 million to help finally eradicate polio from
the world. Polio eradication has been Rotary's top priority since 1985,
inspiring the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a partnership
which has cut the number of polio cases by 99 per cent since then. The disease
is now only endemic in four countries: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
Recently, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave Rotary a US$ 100 million
challenge grant, which Rotary will match over the next three years.
More
The
BBC aired images of the display, along with interviews with DG Colin Mathews and
Gautam Lewis, a 30-year-old polio-survivor who immunized children on behalf of
Rotary in his birthplace of India in November 2007. More
Photo
by Rich Hendry courtesy of Rotary
International
23
February
Polio
eradication top priority, says Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister One
of two polio-endemic states in India
Lucknow – Flagging off a mini-marathon organized here in the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati reiterated that polio eradication was the top priority of her government. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are India's only two remaining polio-endemic states.
“My government is committed to polio eradication”, she told the gathering of 8,000 people at the start of the 12-kilometre race, organized by local television channel ETV and the state to generate awareness of polio eradication.
Uttar Pradesh was at the core of a 2006 outbreak which spread to polio-free parts of India and to Bihar. However, an intense immunization campaign schedule using a targeted vaccine has reduced the number of polio cases caused by type 1 poliovirus – the most dangerous type – by 96% (22 in 2007 compared to 520 in 2006).
Uttar Pradesh has not reported a type 1 case in the last three months. There is also a noticeable decline in the number of type 3 poliovirus cases, the Chief Minister said.
“As many as 37 of the 70 districts are polio free. We will ensure that the entire state soon becomes polio free”, Ms Mayawati said.
Chief Minister Mayawati of Uttar
Pradesh
state in India flags off a
race in support of polio eradication
State Chief Secretary Mr Prashant Kumar Mishra, Health Minister Mr Anant Mishra and Director General Health Dr L. B. Prasad were present at the K D Singh Stadium from where the mini-marathon began. Children, athletes and city residents took part in the race, together with a number of state government officials.
22 February
WHO DG Margaret Chan in Nigeria and Angola to support countries' efforts to wipe out disease
22 February 2008, Abuja, Nigeria - World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Margaret Chan this week travelled to Nigeria and Angola to support these countries' polio eradication efforts and underscore the importance of rapidly completing the job.
In Nigeria, in high-level meetings with His Excellency Umaru Yar'Adua, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Hajia Turai
Yar'Adua, First Lady of the Federal Republic and the Honourable Federal Minister of Health Professor Adenike Grange, Dr Chan commended Nigeria's intensified eradication efforts resulting in progress against the disease over the past 12 months. In 2007, the incidence of polio has declined overall by 75% compared with 2006, and prevalence of the most dangerous serotype of the virus (type 1) has been slashed by nearly 90%.
WHO Director-General Dr
Margaret Chan (left) and Hajia Turai Yar'Adua, First Lady of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, at the official launch of the country's latest polio
Immunization Plus Days. Nigeria - one of only four remaining polio-endemic
countries in the world - has intensified its polio eradication efforts over the
past 12 months, resulting in a 75% decline in cases compared with 2006
At the same time, however, Dr Chan cautioned against complacency and urged a further intensified effort, as upwards of 18% of children continue to be missed during polio Immunization Plus Days (IPDs) in key areas in the north of the country. She urged for the full application of new tools and tailored tactics for eradicating polio, and called for the vaccination gap to be closed through increased engagement of
Local Government Area (LGA) leaders. Attending the official launch of the latest IPDs on 21 February in the company of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji (Dr) Sa’ad Abubakar III, and First Lady Hajia Turai Yar'Adua, Dr Chan stated: "In every country, success against polio comes when local government leaders, community leaders and elders make the health of children a top priority. It is local ownership that solves the problems and ensures success."
In Angola, Dr Chan discussed polio eradication within the broader health context with His Excellency José Eduardo dos Santos, President of Angola, Prime Minister Mr Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, and Minister of Health Dr Ruben Sicato. Angola is one of only two re-infected countries (along with Chad) not to have stopped its outbreak following re-infection in 2005, after having already eradicated the disease in 2001. With risk of further spread of virus to neighbouring countries deemed as high, outbreak response activities must be urgently and fully implemented to re-eradicate the disease in the country.
With her visit to Nigeria, Dr Chan has now visited each of the remaining four polio-endemic countries, with trips to Afghanistan, India and Pakistan in 2007. Since the launch of a 24-month intensified eradication effort at an urgent stakeholder consultation in Geneva in February 2007, the most dangerous serotype of polio (type 1) has been beaten back to its lowest-ever recorded levels. During her tour of polio-endemic and re-infected countries, Dr Chan has assured each head of state of WHO's ongoing support and assistance in their intensified efforts to eradicate polio. With the full application of new tools and tailored tactics, and with full ownership at local level, these countries now have a unique opportunity to consign polio to the history books once and for all.
8
February
Displacement
of people from Chad, risk of polio outbreak
Following
recent conflict in Chad, refugees have been crossing the border into
northern Cameroon. This displacement of people poses a threat of
importation of poliovirus into Cameroon: in September 2007, poliovirus from Chad
paralysed a child in South Darfur, Sudan.
WHO
is holding urgent discussions with key partners, including the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the UN Refugee
Agency (UNHCR), to bring key health interventions - including polio vaccine - to
refugees and local populations in Cameroon. The
most recent polio vaccination campaigns in Cameroon took place in November 2007.
The next campaigns are scheduled to be held on 23-26 February. It is unclear to
what extent the current security situation will affect the planned activity.
Chad
had 19 cases of polio in 2007, from virus of imported origin. More
7 February
Hands
Up for Polio Eradication
More
than 41 million children under five years old were targeted for an additional
dose of oral polio vaccine (OPV) last week in Nigeria's first national round of
vaccination in 2008. Tens of thousands of health workers, community mobilizers,
independent monitors and volunteers spread out across the country to ensure no
child was missed.
.JPG)
In
Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, Her Excellency the First Lady of Lagos
State, Mrs Amimbola Fashola, rallied mothers to vaccinate their children.
Traditional and religious leaders and other state and local government officials
were also on hand to ensure the round got of to a flying start.
Strengthened
ownership from government at all levels and support from traditional and
religious leaders is improving coverage, crucial to protect the impressive gains
made against polio in 2007.
A
second National Immunization Plus Day (NIPD) is scheduled for February 23-26. Preparations
are currently under way to strengthen micro-plans, maps and
vaccinator knowledge particularly in the highest-risk areas.
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