End Polio Now Update

Posted by David Boyle 
on Dec 26, 2015
 
 
 
 

What is that Polio Picture?  It's of the presentation of the first ever HOPE (Heroes of Polio Eradication) Awards on December 6, 2015 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. 

Thousands of Polio workers have selflessly dedicated their lives to stopping Polio in their communities.  It is in large part because of their efforts that our world is now on the verge of becoming Polio-free.

To recognize the invaluable contributions of Polio workers everywhere, this year His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have created the first-ever Heroes of Polio Eradication (HOPE) Awards.  This year's Award Winners are shown in today's picture.

From left to right - HOPE Humanitarian Award Winner - Constant Dedo (who was shot while working on an immunization campaign and despite this, continued to support Anti-Polio campaigns in South Sudan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan), presenter Bill Gates, HOPE Achievement Award Winner - Mrs Freeda (a Lady Health Worker from Pakistan who has worked to stop Polio for 15 years, even after she was injured and a loved one was killed in an immunization campaign), HOPE Education Winner - Atta Ullah (who has created an innovative approach to educating communities in Pakistan about the importance of immunizing children in Pakistan against Polio), presenter HH Shiekh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi - who donated $120 million and hosted the first-ever Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi in 2013 where $4 billion was pledged for Polio eradication), HOPE Advocacy Award Winner - Bibi Malika (a community leader who was instrumental in leading Polio eradication efforts in hard to reach areas of Afghanistan), and HOPE Innovation Award Winner - Mr. Lawan Didi Misbahu (Polio Survivor and Chair of the Polio Survivors Association of Nigeria - who led a program to rehabilitate over 3,000 paraplegics - many of whom are Polio survivors).   Could 2015-16 be the year of the final Polio case?

The big Switch  - There are four months to go until the globally synchronized switch from the trivalent to bivalent oral polio vaccine. This will be an important milestone in achieving a polio-free world. - See more at: http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx#sthash.SbtVT3gZ.dpuf

Polio/Taliban Overview - See this link for a good overview from Bloomberg of the current Taliban involvement in the Polio Eradication effort in Afghanistan  http://bloom.bg/1P5A68P
Pakistan - Two new Polio cases reported in Pakistan this week.  Fifty-one Polio cases have been reported in 2015 compared to 290 at this time, last year.  
What? You haven't Donated to The Rotary Foundation's PolioPlus Fund, This Year? - You only have one week!  Donations must be made on-line atwww.rotary.org/myrotary/give by 12/31/15 or checks postmarked by 12/31/15 to be included in 2015 contributions.  
Afghanistan - Two new Polio cases reported in Afghanistan this week. One new Polio-positive environmental sample was collected this week.  Sub-National Immunization Days are planned for Jan. 10-12 and Feb.14-16 using Bivalent OPV. 
The Final Two Endemic Countries:

 

Pakistan - Fifty-One Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 11/21/15 are from Sindh and Khyber, FATA.    
 
Afghanistan - Nineteen Polio cases reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 11/19/15 from the Kunar Province.   
Post Endemic - Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
 
2014 Importation Countries:
Ethiopia (1 case in 2014), Cameroon (5 cases in 2014), Somalia (5 cases in 2014), Iraq (2 cases in 2014), Syria (1 case in 2014), & Equatorial Guinea (5 cases in 2014) - all report no Polio cases in 2015. 
   
 
Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
 
And for our more "Mature" Rotarians – Just recently Congress passed the PATH Act which makes the IRA Charitable Rollover permanent law!! The relevant provision allows people aged 70 ½ and older to donate as much as $100,000 directly from their IRA to charity without incurring income tax. Would you benefit from making a tax-free required distribution from your IRA before year-end?