Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
chapter 11
rotary International
and eradicating Polio
while once it might seem impossible to imagine a world where all children can run
free, where none has the risk of picking up the crippling infectious poliomyelitis
virus, today such a situation is almost a reality. certainly, this is the case in north
america, europe, and latin america, and could soon be so in africa and South asia.
Yet as recently as two decades ago there were an estimated 350 000 cases of polio
and it was endemic to 125 countries. It is through regional and global campaigns
involving governments, international health organisations, development agencies
and nongovernmental organisations (nGos) that a 99 percent global reduction of
polio cases has become a reality.
the route to this grand achievement is a story of perseverance on all fronts:
the medical science field, the affected children and their communities, health
practitioners and volunteers, and international political actors. even with a vaccine,
however, the success of the global eradication campaign depended very much heavily
on extensive resource mobilisation and management as well as political will. rotary
International, an nGo with a network of service clubs with more than 1.2 million
business, professional, and community leaders in 200 countries and geographical
regions around the world, significantly assisted in this process. It made a mark as one
of the few nGos that contributes funds to the United nations system and international
establishing its PolioPlus initiative in 1985, rotary became a key collaborator and
a beacon in taking on the challenge of polio eradication globally. Such activity was
essential to achieving some of the best international coordination efforts seen to
date for implementing child vaccination programmes and development assistance
and demonstrating the power of people, community organisations, and goodwill in
overcoming global challenges such as disease.
the global eradication of polio has not been an easy assignment to undertake,
for rotary International or for any other global actor. For one, certain circumstances
had to fall into place, such as the development of an effective and easily distributable
vaccine. numerous partners and groups had to be brought on board, which required
a strong sense of timing and the ability to take opportunities as they presented
themselves. also, maintaining a prolonged operational effort to ensure global reach
and a sustainable project is taxing, as is the daunting task of advocacy to mobilise
