The Rotary Club has vaccinated over 2.5 billion children worldwide against polio since the campaign started in 1985 in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, on Monday in commemoration of World Polio Day, the Past President of the Rotary Club of Ilorin Metro and Kwara State Polio Representative for 2023-2024, Youssef Sanders, however, stated that the battle to eliminate Polio is not yet won.
“Polio still poses a threat because it is an infectious disease, and there is much work to be done. It is crucial for the general populace to support organisations like Rotary International in our relentless efforts to reach every child with the polio vaccine,” he said.
Sanders, who pointed out that polio used to be a devastating scourge, added that the disease had been on the brink of eradication globally for several years.
“Rotary International, in partnership with organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, has made substantial progress towards eradicating polio worldwide.
Nigeria, once considered one of the last strongholds of the virus, has made remarkable strides thanks to these combined efforts. It used to be PAN (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria). Today it’s Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he said.
He also mentioned that Rotary’s work has played a pivotal role in bringing us closer to a polio-free world in Kwara State, Nigeria while commending both the federal and state governments for providing the right leadership in that regard.
Also speaking, the past president of the Rotary Club of Ilorin, GRA, Dr Olutoye Michael, stated that Kwara state is free of polio, adding that the campaign against polio must continue because the virus is infectious and the world is a global village.
“The world is a global village, and someone can get infected in Mozambique, Africa, here, and a few hours later find themselves in another country like Nigeria, and it can spread so easily. That is why we continue with awareness campaigns and vaccination,” he said.
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