The Norwich Rotary Club members are taking action in honor of World Polio Day, October 24, by raising awareness and funding to support the end of Polio, and invite all to visit them in West Park at Saturday in the Park to help support their efforts toward a polio-free world. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH — The Norwich Rotary Club members are taking action in honor of World Polio Day, October 24, by raising awareness and funding to support the end of Polio, a preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.

Norwich Rotary Club President Catrina Ruling invites all to visit the rotary club members in West Park this Saturday and help support their efforts toward a polio-free world.

“Come see your local rotarians at the last Saturday in the Park on October 25,” said Ruling. “We will be raising funds by selling breakfast sandwiches and hot dogs and there will also be a donation jar for ending Polio.”

She said Polio anywhere is a threat everywhere, and although there are no cases in the United States, rotary members will continue the work to end the paralyzing virus, which will be only the second human disease ever to be eradicated.

Ruling explained global polio eradication efforts, led by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, focus on routine immunization, supplementary vaccination campaigns and robust surveillance to detect and respond to outbreaks.

Polio, most known as poliovirus is spread person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can attack the nervous system, and in some cases, lead to paralysis.

It is a highly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5.

“Wild poliovirus types 2 and 3 have been eradicated and efforts continue to eliminate the remaining type 1 strain,” Ruling added.

She said to sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine, Rotary has committed to raising up to $50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts.

Ruling noted although this is the first year Norwich Rotary has put forward efforts in support, she personally gave funds to the cause last year.

“I know that last year I personally donated $120,” she said. “As it was not a project on our radar, although it should be each year.” 

Rotary has contributed more than $2.9 billion to fight polio and countless volunteer hours since launching its PolioPlus program in 1985.

“In 1988, Rotary joined in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Global Polio Eradication Initiative,” Ruling said.

The Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, later joined. When the initiative launched, there were 350,000 cases of polio every year.

Ruling pointed to the efforts and said they drastically reduced wild poliovirus cases by over 99%, with only 2 countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, remaining endemic.

A renewed pledge from The Gates Foundation, matches 2-to-1 for a total yearly contribution of up to $150 million. The pledge will continue through 2029.

According to the Rotary website, Rotary brings together a global network of community leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. They connect 1.2 million members from more than 45,000 Rotary clubs across the world.

Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.

To learn more about ending Polio, visit endpolio.org.

For additional Rotary information or to contribute to the cause, visit www.rotaryinternational.org and click on donate. Choose polio plus, fill out the form and continue as a guest.