Wiping out polio

SIR – I was encouraged to read David Blair’s article (Comment, August 14) on how polio can be wiped out if the remaining scepticism is confronted.

As the President of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, I understand how important it is that we continue to do all we can to help tackle this devastating disease.

For more than 30 years, Rotary International has been part of the fight against polio. Thousands of our members have visited polio-stricken areas to carry out immunisation. We spearheaded the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with our partners back in 1988, and since then global incidences of polio have decreased by 99.9 per cent.

We were disappointed to learn of the two new cases discovered in Nigeria, especially as these were the first to be identified since July 2014. However, we always knew that the greatest challenge would be tackling polio in the last few strongholds – and this news has only cemented our dedication to finishing the job. Eve Conway Alcester, Warwickshire