Today marks a tremendous milestone: one full year without a wild poliovirus case in Africa.
Africa’s last polio case occurred in Somalia on August 11 last year. Nigeria, one of the last three polio-endemic countries, reached one year without a reported case on July 24. The World Health Organization (WHO) may soon remove Nigeria from the list of polio endemic countries. When Africa goes three years without a case of polio, WHO will certify the region as polio-free.
A polio-free Africa has been within sight for over a decade. Health workers, community leaders, government officials, and global partners helped reach 230 million African children with the polio vaccine, in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable.
There is still work ahead to improve vaccination campaigns and surveillance. The next two years will be critical to ensuring Nigeria and Africa remain on-track. The support of donors, governments and partners is needed more than ever to ensure high-quality polio campaigns. Through 2018, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is matching 2-to-1 every dollar that Rotary commits for polio, up to $35 million a year. Click here to donate.
While Africa has achieved an important public health milestone, as long as polio exists in the two remaining endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan, the virus still has the potential to spread and to spark new outbreaks. Pakistan, accounting for nearly 90% of the world’s cases in 2014. has seen recent progress with nearly 70% reduction in cases in the first half of 2015 compared to the same time in 2014.
George Stancil does a great job of tracking down guest speakers for our meetings, but he's only one man. If you know of anyone who might be willing to speak to the club please let George know!