We Are Almost There!

Only five cases of polio have been reported in the world this year!!  And last week not one single case has appeared on record!!  But many are still working to eradicate the disease.  In Pakistan a polio surveillance network provides a silent force behind the eradication efforts.  In a small health facility in Pakistan's Punjab province, Dr. Ujala Nayyar, a World Health Organization's Surveillance Officer, reviews all doctors' appointments in recent months.   She checks every record to look for symptoms that could be signs of polio, like a sudden floppiness in arms, legs or any part of the body that would indicate acute flaccid paralysis. She makes sure the doctors and the hospital staff working at the clinic know what symptoms of polio are and what they need to do if a child with polio appears.  

 

Dr. Nayyar is part of a network of 47 Polio Eradication Officers in 36 districts of Punjab who work with just one aim - to eradicate polio.   More than 47,000 health, religious leaders, traditional healers and over 10,000 doctors in Punjab help her team to identify paralyzed children.   Surveillance is one of the key activities of the polio eradication effort in Pakistan.  Many innovative approaches are being introduced to help detect where the virus is circulating, surveillance reviews, and regular orientation sessions for medical officers and consultants on how to report cases.  Your commitment and generosity to the Rotary's goal of eliminating this horrific disease is appreciated.  We still need help, so please consider a generous donation to The Rotary Foundation for this purpose.   We are almost there!!