Rotarians, their stakeholders, leaders, and friends from the seven states that make up District 9142 will converge on Awka, Anambra State Capital, for a polio plus seminar being organized by the district slated for tomorrow, Saturday 21 October, 2023 at ASUU Secretariat, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Time is 10am. The seven states are Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom.
During the polio plus seminar, lectures and discussions will take the centre stage on how to sustain the fight against polio by Rotary International.
Polio or poliomyelitis is a paralyzing and potentially deadly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of five. The virus spreads from person to person through contaminated water. It can then attack the nervous system.
Rotary International has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. The goal to rid the world of the disease is now closer than ever. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, Rotary has reduced polio cases by 99.9 per cent since its first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. As a matter of fact, members have contributed over two-point-one billion United States dollars and volunteered countless hours to protect nearly three billion children in one hundred and twenty-two countries from this paralyzing disease. Also, Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a significant role in decisions by governments to contribute more than ten billion dollars to the global effort.
Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But it is crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within ten years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.
Therefore, concerted efforts to ensure that every child is vaccinated against childhood killer diseases including polio/routine immunization is needed. Nigeria’s battle with poliomyelitis has been a huge success. So far, there has been no
recorded case of wild polio virus since the last case was recorded in Borno State in 2016. Significantly, in September 2015, Nigeria was removed from the list of polio endemic countries and subsequently declared free of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) on August 24, 2020 following the absence of indigenous transmission for three years.
This milestone means that it is possible for the World Health Organization (WHO) to certify the entire Africa region wild polio virus free next year. Nigeria’s success is the result of several sustained efforts, including domestic and international financing, the commitment of thousands of health workers, and strategies to immunize children who previously couldn’t be reached.
That is why the Awka polio plus seminar has come at the right time to sustain the fight against polio in the society. Hopefully, the seminar is going to attract philanthropists and critical stakeholders to support Rotary in the fight against the polio disease. Rotarians are being led to the seminar by the District Governor of Rotary International District 9142, Rotarian Akan Emah to be assisted by other Rotary officers in the District.
As part of activities to herald the event, the wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Nonye Soludo was honoured by the District Governor as Polio Ambassador and invested as a Paul Harris Fellow. This is in recognition of her efforts to encourage healthy lifestyles through her non-governmental organization, “Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo”. Also, the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Charles Esimone was also invested again as a Paul Harris Fellow, thereby making him a multiple recipient of the award. Importantly, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Sir Emeka Offor and many others need to be commended for their support to Rotary International in her efforts to totally eradicate wild polio virus.
After all is said and done, there is the need to maintain vigilance for any potential resurgence of wild polio virus and to arm health providers with verified and up-to-date information to counter misinformation and reservations against vaccines, vaccine distrust and hesitancy. These are going to be some of the fallouts of the Awka polio plus seminar.
As the World Polio Day is commemorated on 24th October, 2023, coupled with the Awka polio plus seminar, philanthropists, stakeholders, friends, politicians and partners should support and join Rotary to celebrate its progress and help it to reach its great goal of a polio-free world by donating today.
Written by ABUCHI NWOZOR
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