Local Rotary club members are doing what they can to rid the world of a devastating disease. Since 1985, Rotary Club International has allied with the CDC, World Health Organization, and United Nations Children’s Fund, among other organizations, in purchasing and disseminating polio vaccine to affected countries. In 1985, there were over 350,000 cases of polio in children world wide but thanks to vaccination efforts, only 50 cases were recorded in 2016 and they were concentrated in Pakistan. “This effort has been very successful,” shares local Rotary member Dr. Breitenbach. “Our hope is to eradicate polio completely by getting this to the kids in Pakistan that haven’t been vaccinated and then help countries worldwide to maintain a steady vaccine regimen.” Donations can be made through
www.endpolio.org
and even just a few dollars can save lives. “If you really want to touch somebody in a big way even a few dollars can vaccinate a few kids and save them from ever getting polio,” shares Dr. Breitenbach. “I’m very excited for the announcement one of these days that polio no longer exists.”
