Rotherham Rotary Clubs' ongoing determination to beat devastating disease

Every year Rotary Clubs across the globe observe World Polio Day to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination - and Rotherham Rotary Club has also played its part in the the global effort to beat the devastating disease over the years.

Rotary, which has the motto ‘Service Above Self’, is a global network of volunteers that unites men and women from all walks of life to provide humanitarian service through clubs in more than 200 countries.

In Rotherham, the 104-year-old club is currently run by president Geoffrey Cooper who with wife Jane visited India to vaccinate very young children in India as part of the national initiative in 2018.

Michael Sumption said: “Every year on October 24 – the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk who developed the first successful polio vaccine – Rotary around the world observes World Polio Day to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination to protect every child from this devastating disease and celebrate the many parents, professionals and volunteers whose contributions make polio eradication achievable.

“The day highlights the global efforts to end poliomyelitis (polio) world-wide and is marked in every way imaginable by Rotarians proud to be part of an organisation which has been at the forefront of the programme.

“Today, wild poliovirus continues to circulate in only Pakistan and Afghanistan, and global incidence of polio cases has decreased by 99.9 per cent and so the fight against polio has been a question of recognising it - lameness is the obvious symptom - and developing effective vaccines.

“Once established there is no cure, and so the vaccination of very young children has been at the forefront of the global effort.

“In 1985, Rotary International pledged to raise $120m towards the elimination of polio by 2000,which was followed by the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988.

“When the GPEI started, polio paralysed more than 1,000 children worldwide every day. “Since then, more than 2.5billion children have been immunised against polio thanks to the cooperation of more than 200 countries and 20million volunteers.

“Rotherham Rotary Clubs have been involved in the global effort - not just in fundraising and creating awareness of the disease, but also in a very hands-on way.

“In 2018, our Rotary District sought volunteers to be part of a major vaccination push over the whole India over three days.

“Our current Club President, Geoffrey Cooper, and his wife Jane joined this huge initiative over those three days to help vaccinate 172 million children under the age of five.

“The oral vaccines were administered by placing two drops in the child`s mouth.

“To identify which child had been vaccinated, the nail on the small finger on the left hand was coloured purple with a marker pen.”

Geoffrey Cooper said: “What we had not anticipated was the depth and warmth of the welcome we received.

“If the immunisation process had given us a feeling of fulfilment, our overriding emotion was one of humility.

“No article on the subject of polio would be complete without reference to the huge generosity of Bill and Melinda Gates and their Foundation.

“Not only have they donated billions of dollars to the international cause, they trebled funds raised through Rotary Clubs‘ efforts.”

Added Michael: “Now, polio is virtually eliminated, barring Pakistan and Afghanistan, but vigilance, and, of course, continuing funding will be required and Rotary will continue to play its part.”