Print Print edition: 2011-09-25

Polio eradication Rotary's top priority

Published Updated

Polio eradication has been Rotary's top priority for more than two decades. The international humanitarian service organisation is a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, along with the World Health Organisation, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Unicef. Rotary International has globally contributed more than US $1 billion towards polio eradication and over US $90 million in Pakistan.
This was stated by Aziz Memon who is currently the Pakistan Chair for the National Polio plus committee of Rotary International. Aziz further informed that Rotarians are committed to raise funds that are required to end polio. Pakistan risks being the last to interrupt the polio transmission, jeopardising the efforts of other countries to do so. The 2010 floods in Pakistan wreaked havoc, with a surge in wild poliovirus in districts/regions and towns due to water contamination, displaced families migrating to dry safer grounds and poor hygiene and sanitation conditions. In September 2011, Sindh reported 17 polio cases in 12 districts, including Karachi.-PR