WORLD POLIO DAY, NEW WESTMINSTER CITY PROCLAMATION
Good evening, Mayor Cote and City Councillors.
My name is Monica Woldring. I am President of the Royal City Rotary Club. With me at the table is Cindy Tang, President of the Rotary Club of New Westminster, and John Berry, a long-time member of that Club.
Thank you for inviting us to attend your meeting this evening to receive the official Proclamation of October 24, 2019 as World Polio Day in the City, which is also being recognized in many cities, provinces and states, and countries around the world.
In attendance this evening are many of New Westminster’s citizens (young and not-so-young) who have actively participated in the programs of Rotary International for many years, providing assistance and financial support to those in need, locally and globally. They include members of the Rotary Club of New Westminster (who have been working for the benefit of our citizens for over 90 years!), the Royal City Rotary Club, the Rotaract Club of New Westminster (for young adults ages 18 to 30) and the New Westminster Interact Club (comprised of youth in secondary school). You can distinguish the Rotaractors and Interactors from the Rotarians by their youthful looks!
I could go on at length about Rotary initiatives that promote health, education, disaster relief and international peace efforts, both here in New Westminster and abroad. But those are topics for another occasion. We would welcome the opportunity to address you about these, but tonight we have limited time so we will confine our remarks to the topic at hand. End Polio Now!!
Although no longer a threat in Canada, in the mid-1980s, polio was a much feared virus, endemic in 125 countries around the globe. Every year, approximately 350,000 children would be afflicted. Many of them died. Many of the survivors were paralyzed, crippled or disfigured for life. The consequences of polio were most pronounced in the developing world. Lack of adequate, basic sanitation and limited (or non-existent) medical care left children vulnerable to the ravages of the disease. Because resources are limited, the survivors of the disease would lose many opportunities which we take for granted. The opportunity to get an education. To obtain employment. To have a family.
In 1985 Rotary decided to start a massive program to vaccinate children in the Philippines. The procedure is simple: two drops of vaccine from an eye dropper, no medical skill is required to administer it. Because Rotary International is active in most countries in the world, the local Rotarians could organize National Immunization Days to immunize the children. Rotarians from other countries would travel to help out. Once the children received the vaccine, their “pinky” finger would be dyed purple, to identify those who had been treated, from those who had not. The program was very successful in the Philippines, and soon was promoted by Rotary, governments and non-governmental organizations in virtually every country. While Rotary International initiated the program, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (as it is now known) has been a partnership of organizations such as Rotary, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as governments around the world.
In 1985 polio was endemic in 125 countries. Now only 3 countries are considered to be at risk from the polio virus. Despite many obstacles, India was declared polio-free in 2012. Africa is about to be designated as polio-free, since Nigeria last reported a case of polio over 3 years ago. The other countries where polio is still a risk are Pakistan and Afghanistan, conflict regions where immunization programs are challenging (and dangerous) and there is suspicion of foreigners. Over the past 30 years, $12.5 billion has been spent on EndPolioNow ($1.8 billion raised by Rotarians). Over 2.5 billion children have been immunized. The estimated savings in medical costs alone is $25 billion, in addition to the human toll on polio’s victims.
The success of the program has been amazing. Instead of the expected 350,000 cases annually, in 2018 there were only 33 reported cases world-wide. While we can take pride in the number of children who have avoided the ravages of polio in the past 30 years, we know we cannot stop until the virus is completely eradicated from all corners of the globe, or else it will spread again. There have been some setbacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but Rotary and its partners in the campaign are more determined than ever to see this project through to the end, to have a polio-free world.
Locally, the Interactors will be putting up a display on October 24th at NW Secondary School, to create awareness of the EndPolioNow campaign, and dye students’ “pinky” fingers purple like in the immunization programs. The 2 Rotary clubs and Rotaractors will put up a display at Royal City Centre on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, to publicize the program. This has been a long-term commitment for us. Throughout the year, Rotarians and Rotaractors and Interactors donate and fundraise to support EndPolioNow.
On behalf of Rotary in New Westminster, we want to thank you for the Proclamation and the opportunity to address the EndPolioNow program for the benefit of City Council and those attending here tonight, and the thousands of viewers streaming this Council meeting at home.
If you have any questions, we would be pleased to answer them
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