Rotary fighting for polio-free world

Through themonth of October, the Oneida Rotary Club will work towards a poliofree world while urging the community to do the same.

Rotary members in Oneida are among millions reaching out this month to promote global health improvement, public awareness and raise funds for local nursing scholarships, and support to end polio – a vaccine preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.

Oct. 24 marks the 6th annual World Polio Day, first started in 2012 by Rotary International to help bring about an end to the disease.

Since Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradi- cation Initiative 30 years ago, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to just 22 cases in 2017. To sustain this progress and protect all children from polio, Rotary has committed to raising $50 million per year in support of global polio eradication efforts.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match Rotary’s com-

mitment 2:1. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

Dr. Maggie Argentine, Oneida Rotary Club president, said the local Oneida Rotary activities focus on educating, honoring, fundraising and celebrating.

Rotary officials said the Oneida Rotary work will concentrate on educating all, via OHS Interact Club, the community and social media, on the critical need for vaccination to eradicate polio and the public health of all; Honoring and interviewing area polio survivors, families and healthcare professionals to understand how polio affected and continues to affect their lives; Fundraising with END POLIO NOW donation boxes, club contributions, tickets and silent auction revenue to benefit both World Polio Day and Oneida Rotary’s Nurses’ Scholarship Fund; Celebrating locally with members of Oneida Rotary and community.

Rotary officials said Oneida Mayor Leo Matzke will be issuing a proclamation to acknowledge international and local accomplishments with Polio eradication, ongoing care and the generous gifts of Oneida area citizens.

Oneida Rotary will continue working through the month and end October with a Healthy Happy Hour and Basket Silent Auction on Oct. 24.

Rotary has contributed more than US$1.8 billion to ending polio since 1985, including more than $166,000 contributed by the members of the Rotary of Oneida.

Any local polio survivors and loved ones may call Argentine at 315-264-4382 to arrange an interview to share their stories and appropriately acknowledge success.

Indian medical volunteers administer a dose of oral vaccine to a child at a bus terminal during in February 2012a national immunization program in Hyderabad.

A child in Pakistan is vaccinated against polio on Nov. 26, 2013.