Rotary International commits $35m to support polio eradication
NAN-H-98
Polio
By Collins Yakubu-hammer
Abuja, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) Rotary International has said that the organisation has committed additional 35 million dollars in grants to support the global effort to end polio.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Michelle Kloempken, the media contact of the organisation and made available to News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.
“ The announcement follows recent reports of three new cases of wild poliovirus in Nigeria: two cases in July, and one in August.
“ The three cases are the first to be detected in Nigeria since July 2014.
“ With these cases, funding for polio eradication is particularly vital as rapid response plans are now in action in Nigeria and surrounding countries to stop the outbreak quickly and prevent its spread.
“ Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) are acting to immunise children in Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad Basin (Chad, northern Cameroon, southern Niger and the Central African Republic).
“Nearly one-fourth of the funds ($8.15 million) will support the emergency response campaigns in this at-risk regions,’’ Kloempken said.
According to him, while significant strides have been made against the paralyzing disease, with just 26 cases reported in 2016, polio remains a threat in hard-to-reach and underserved areas and conflict zones.
Also Michael K. McGovern, chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee said the organisation was disappointed with the recent news coming out of Nigeria.
“This situation underscores the extreme importance of widespread immunisation campaigns and strong disease surveillance in all countries of the world until polio is fully eradicated.
“This funding will help ensure that Rotary and our GPEI partners are doing all that we can to redouble our efforts and protect the progress in polio-free parts of the world.
“ To sustain this progress and protect all children from polio, experts say $1.5 billion is urgently needed,’’ McGrovern said.
NAN reports that the $35 million in grant brings the humanitarian service organisation’s contribution to $105 million in 2016. (NAN)
CMY/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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