Narrabri Rotarians are quietly celebrating their role in a major global health breakthrough – the elimination in Africa of polio, historically one of the world’s most life threatening and disabling diseases.
Last week the World Health Organisation declared the WHO’s African Region officially free of the wild polio virus.
Narrabri Rotary has been an integral part of Rotary’s worldwide initiative to eradicate polio.
Rotarians targeted the campaign as a major focus of their fundraising.
”Back in November 1987 our club held its inaugural Mud Trials and raised an amazing $10,000 as our initial pledge in support of Rotary’s fight to eradicate Polio,” Rotary’s Julie Herbert said.
“Every year since, our Club has raised funds in support of this amazing program.”
In recent years Rotary has staged special screenings of new release movies. Last year Rotary showed Downton Abbey, which drew a capacity audience to The Crossing Theatre, as have other fund raising movies in support of the polio project.
It is 24 years since Rotary partnered with South African president Nelson Mandela to launch the ‘Kick Polio Out of Africa’ campaign.
The many thousands of dollars raised locally by Rotary over the ensuing years have played a significant part in funding the project.
“Narrabri Rotarians are among the volunteer members and health workers who travelled to Africa to vaccinate children, sometimes amid conflict and insecurity,” said Mrs Herbert.
“Now five out of six WHO regions worldwide are certified free of the wild polio virus.”
The African region is now free of polio, but the disease remains to be eradicated in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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