Polio End Game
Polio cases thus far this year are still down but with one new case since my last report: year-to-date, four cases in Afghanistan and two cases in Pakistan. That is compared to 17 at this time last year. There have also been 15 new cases of vaccine-derived (VDPV) polio in Syria. This is a rare occurrence when the virus in oral vaccine reverts to virulence. It does not mean that the wild polio virus is present. It is the reason health authorities are in the process of switching from the oral to the injectable vaccine, which does not cause VDPV.
As a District, we had a goal this year of raising $44,060 and as of June 26 we have raised $64,350 with still a week to go. When you add in the $17,616 of our Foundation District Designated Funds that have been donated we, as a district, have donated $81,967. If you discount a year when there was a special bequest of $100,000 for Polio Plus, this is largest amount donated by our district. And, perhaps even more importantly, every club donated to Polio Plus this year. Again, I think this is the first time ever.
I’m sure you have heard the news coming out of the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta about the increased support for the Polio End Game from Rotary, the Gates Foundation, and many other countries from around the world. At the convention, pledges were received totaling $1.2 billion toward the estimated $1.6 billion needed to finish off polio forever. At a special session, an "End Polio Now: Countdown to History Campaign" was announced including plans for how we will proceed over the next few years. You will be hearing more about this in the coming months. Meanwhile, thanks so much to every single individual and club that made a donation this year.