Polio Report

Polio Committee and Fellow Rotarians,

 

Click here for the up to date report of polio in the world.

 

Preparing for the WHA: next week, health ministers from around the world will convene in Geneva for the annual World Health Assembly (WHA). Among other public health topics, delegates will review and discuss the latest global polio epidemiology.

 

Between April 17 and May 1, the type 2 component of oral polio vaccine (OPV) was removed from use through a globally synchronized switch from the trivalent to bivalent oral polio vaccine. This was the first stage objective 2 of the Polio Eradication and End Game Strategic Plan 2013-2018 to withdraw OPV in a phased manner following the eradication of the wild poliovirus type 2 in September 2015.

 

Thanks to the efforts of a wide range of stakeholders from Ministries of Health, health workers, volunteers, switch monitors, WGO, UNICEF and partners of the WHO, confirmation has been received that 155 countries have completed the switch.

 

A reminder, our NID Alumni Luncheon will be held at the Historic Santa Maria Inn on June 11th, from 11am until 2pm. See the flyer below. This will give the NIDers a chance to meet again and just have a good time. PDG Frank Ortiz will be the emcee for the event.

 

Please pass the word out that this event is going to happen and to encourage their NID Alums to attend. We only have 100 seats so if you want to attend, let me know and I will sign you up.

 

Yours in Rotary and Polio Eradication,

D5240 Polio Committee Chair