Rotary one step nearer to eradicating polio

A story of saved lives, purple crocuses and donations tripling

Reepham & District Rotary Club, along with clubs all over the world, has been working to eradicate polio, a terrible and debilitating disease of children that is now virtually unknown in the west since vaccines were developed many years ago.

The challenge has been to achieve complete eradication around the world – as with smallpox – so that polio can be banished to the history books.

Rotary members in at-risk countries work on the ground wherever possible, while clubs worldwide raise money to support them.

24 October is our Polio Day when we take stock of progress. It is going well; this year the whole of Africa was declared free of wild polio virus.

The disease is now only endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where there are obvious problems in running vaccination programmes.

Photo: Rotary International

However, vaccination must continue in places at risk – we have to carry on the effort or the disease will return.

Donations worth 3x

In 35 years, Rotary clubs have contributed to the vaccination of three billion children in 122 countries.

For many years, the organisation has worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which contribute twice what we raise, so the £500 already sent from Reepham Rotary this year became £1,500.

To vaccinate a child costs less than £3, so every £1 you give potentially saves a child’s life.

Purple crocuses

The symbol of the campaign is the colour purple. which is the dye used to mark the little finger of inoculated children. As a reminder in this country, we plant purple crocuses in public spaces; ours are in the pound on the edge of the churchyard in Reepham.

Photo: John Tym

So, when you see our crocuses appear in early spring, think of all the lives saved – and when you come across a Reepham Rotary campaign this winter remember that every £1 you give protects a child from a horrible and deadly disease.

Richard Cooke