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How can one help PolioPlus Ride 2003?

  • Personal and Club contributions to the effort.
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      PolioPlus Updates 2002
       

      Bangladesh Rotarians help immunize 20 million children

      More than 20 million Bangladesh children under age 5 received the oral polio vaccine during the first round of National Immunization Days (NIDs) this year. Officially launched on 26 January by the country's Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who administered the vaccine to 12 children, nationwide immunization activities were carried out the following day.

      Nearly 50,000 health workers and 600,000 volunteers — including thousands of Bangladesh Rotarians
        — administered the oral polio vaccine and vitamin A supplements to the children brought by their
      families to the 120,000 vaccination centers in schools, health clinics, and transport terminals across the country. Demonstrating government's commitment to the goal of polio eradication, Bangladesh Health Minister Dr. Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain and other officials visited several of the 132  vaccination centers run by Rotary clubs in Dhaka, the country's administrative capital. 

       "Rotary continues to play a leading role in motivating our people," said Bangladesh National PolioPlus  Committee Chairman Iftekharul Alam. "We are very grateful for the unfailing support from The Rotary  Foundation, which has contributed towards the cost of social mobilization and the purchase of  vaccine."

      According to Alam, the one-day effort was immensely successful as 98 percent of targeted children
      were reached. House-to-house immunization activities continued on 28-31 January to deliver the oral
       polio vaccine to children who were missed on 27 January. 

      Encouraged by news that not a single case of polio has been reported in their country in the last 18
      months, local Rotarians are taking further steps to ensure that Bangladesh is declared polio-free by 2005. They have intensified social mobilization activities this year with the placement of public service announcements in print, radio, and television outlets urging parents and government not to
      relent. To reach all sectors of Bangladesh society, clubs are putting out polio messages on banners  billboards, placards, and t-shirts, and organizing public rallies prior to major polio activities.

      Taking advantage of the country's favorite past time, the National PolioPlus Committee launched balloons emblazoned with polio eradication messages at a cricket  Bangladesh on 25 January. In addition, the committee published a supplement in national  newspapers, with inspiring messages from Rotary International President Richard D. King, Rotary Foundation Trustee Chairman Luis Vicente Giay, and International PolioPlus Committee Chairman  William T. Sergeant. 

      The Rotary Foundation has contributed more than US$17 million towards polio eradication in Bangladesh. The next round of NIDs will be in March.