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Tag: ROTARY

  • Rotary moves against Ebola Virus

    The Rotary Club of Isolo, District 9110 Nigeria, in conjunction with Babalola Peace Foundation, has launched an awareness campaign on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

    The campaign was part of activities to welcome the District Governor of Rotary, District 9110 Nigeria, Dr Bamidele Balogun, when he visited the club.

    An Ophthalmologist, Dr Fatai Oluyadi said the campaign was to increase awareness on the measures to prevent the spread of the virus and let people know that the disease will become history if the measures are observed.

    He urged people to continue with the hygienic measures of washing their hands, frequent use of sanitisers, avoiding bush meat and touching or washing of the dead, among others.

    Caregivers, he said, should protect themselves by wearing masks, gloves and goggles where they come in contact with people who may have Ebola.

    “The health institutions have to be meticulous about accessing a patient, even before the patient enters the hospital. The government also needs to provide facilities to handle the few cases that we have,” he said.

    Oluyadi identified some of the symptoms of Ebola as fever, sore throat, muscle pains, headaches, vomiting, loss of appetite, and bleeding from the mouth or intestine.

    He advised people to avoid going to crowded environments where people may have the disease, avoid contact with body fluids, sweat, saliva, semen and blood of infested persons both living and dead.

    The President, Rotarian Adegoke Adeoye, said besides the campaign on Ebola, the club distributed 2000 pamphlets on precautions of its outbreak; de-wormed children in the area and commissioned drinkable and disease-free water project at Aye Bus stop, Isolo, to improve on resident’s health and prevent all other forms of diseases.

    “In our quest to help humanity, the club also graduated and gave certificate to about 12 teachers which it has trained and donated a wheel chair to a disabled cobler, Mr Adelabu in Isolo,” he said.

    Balogun said Rotary cares about the people, adding that the club’s activities were a symbol of what Rotary does. The club, he said, had done well.

  • Day of giving

    Day of giving

    Despite came the way of members of the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria last Wednesday. The Rotary Club of Festac Town District 9110 Nigeria inaugurated a bore hole worth N1.7 million for the association.

    Before now, the home patronise water vendors but now, it open taps within its premises at no cost.

    The facility was installed with sustainable pump, stainless steel water treatment plant and components. Rotary also donated a wheel chair to the home.

    The same day, the club donated physiotherapy equipment to Beth-Torrey Handicap Children’s Home in Festac.

    The equipment will aid treatment of the handicapped children to restore consciousness.  The equipment are; ultra sound, cotton wool, hand gloves, thermometer and messaging cream among others.

    At about 5pm the same day, Rotary gave out sewing and baking machines and some funds to empower no less than 15 people.

    The club’s gesture for the day ended with a cheque of N55, 000 scholarships to an 18-year-old Usman Lawal, a student of Comprehensive Academy in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    Usman, who had hole in the heart, was endorsed by the club four years ago on his return from a surgery in India.

    The donations were parts of activities lin, Dr Dele Balogun.

    The club President, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Whitehall Multinational Limited, Mr Gabriel Onyema, said the day was another joyous period to give joy to the lives of the deprived and attend to their needs.

    “This is just the beginning of the projects to be carried out during my administration. I told my club members that there is no rest this year; we are going to carry out one project per month,” he said.

    Onyema reeled out programmes for the next few months: “In August, we will donate beddings and baby incubators in Maternal and Child Care Hospital in Festac Town, in September, the club would inaugurate a Peace triangle symbol in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area to let people know the importance of living together in peace.

    “In October, we will donate 300 desks to students in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area and in November we will carry out a project that will cost us nothing less than 1.2 million naira for the library in the council.”

    Dr Balogun hailed the club. He admitted that the government cannot cater for everybody, hence the need for organisations like Rotary to support the government.

    “It is our responsibility to assist our fellow human beings in the little way we can and it is important that we make these people as comfortable as possible. No soul is superior to the other,” he said.

    He raised concern on the state of the spinal cord injury victims saying, they need to be engaged to live a meaningful life.

    “People should stop the stigmatisation; they can be engaged in activities like skill acquisition that will make them feel part of the society. Their eyes, brain, hands and mouth are still sharp and can work,” he said.

    Balogun reiterated that there is ability in their disability saying, when you have something to showcase, people will come looking for you.

    He urged the beneficiaries who were given equipment and money to make the best of all they have gotten from the club, adding that they should use it to take care of themselves and their family.

    Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria chairman, Mr Obioha Ononogbu, said many of the victims are capable of doing what they were doing before they had the injury – all they need is retraining.

    “One of us has written a book, this shows that even with our disability, we can still offer something to the world,” he said.

    Ononogbu explained that the home solely depends on service rendered from service clubs and other well meaning individuals, urging government and corporate organisations to come to their aid.

    The Administrative officer at the Beth-Torrey Handicap Children’s Home, Mrs Tayo Udoh, said the physiotherapy equipment donated will be used to imrove the health of the children .

    “When we see people like this coming and humbling themselves regardless of who they are and show love to those who are less privileged, it is a great opportunity,” she said.

    “These children have talents and they have to discover it. So with all these items received, it will go a long way to nuture their talents,” she stated.

    One of the beneficiaries from the empowerment, Mrs Mary Olojobi, expressed her gratitude to Rotary, saying “My shop got burnt sometimes ago and since then, I have being borrowing sewing machine from colleagues to sew cloths for my customers. What Rotary has done for me today would make me independent and cater for my children.”

  • Rotary urges hunters to follow vocation ethics

    Rotary urges hunters to follow vocation ethics

    The Rotary Club International District 9110 has begun educating people at the grassroots on the dangers of the Ebola virus and it can be spread.

    At a seminar at the weekend to sensitise its members on the dangers, symptoms and prevention of the disease, Rotary’s District governor Dr Dele Balogun said a variety of the spiced dried meat (Kilishi) and other forms of the meat could carry the virus.

    He warned its members and other Nigerians to stop some dangerous habits that could cause infection.

    The club chairman, a medical doctor, urged Nigerians to warn hunters to stop selling dead animals in the bush or the sick ones.

    Dr balogun said: “It can be contained, if we are aware and take precaution and other measures to prevent the spread by washing hands regularly and avoiding body contact in crowded places. That way, we can keep the epidemic under check.

    “Since the disease has a 90 per cent mortality rate, those in the rural areas need to know of this menace by making them understand the danger of the virus in a broken down formula for them to comprehend with.”

  •  Jos Rotary Club rewards orphanages

     Jos Rotary Club rewards orphanages

    The popular Eliel Centre in the Rayfield area of Jos came alive when the Rotary Club of Jos assembled four ophanages for special recognition for their service to humanity. It was the first time they were doing such a thing. Even though the occasion was supposed to be installation of the 44th President of the club, the club found it an auspicious time to appreciate the good efforts of others.

    Our Lady of Apostles Ophanage home owned by the Catholic Church,  Gidan Bege, also owned by Christian missionaries and the Awareness for Educational Development Initiative (AWEDI) owned by the Muslim community in Jos were selected for appreciation. The President of the Rotary Club of Jos, Rotarian Santos Ayuba Larab told his guests which included Rotarians from across the state and non-Rotarians that “this kind of charity to an unknown community of beneficiaries, we must say, is consolidated by your patronage, gift of hearts and surely in tandem with the constantly professed dicta of our Rotary leaders of ‘giving until it hurts’ and ‘Giving even when we have nothing’.

    He said further that “ours is a year that will be packed full with small but impactful community service projects to light up the Rotary. This will be possible through God’s guidance and your kind donations towards the actualisation of these projects. As a show of our commitment to these project, we are beginning the year with three projects which key appropriately into three areas of focus; water and sanitation, maternal and child health, and disease prevention and treatment”.

    Known worldwide for their humanitarian services, Rotary Club often goes to rural areas to offer help to the segment of the society that hardly get government’s attention while rendering selfless service to the needy.

    Rotarian Santos describes Rotarians as slaves to service saying, “We are slaves to service. We give even when we have nothing and we spend our personal income for charity in our immediate communities. At times we go cap in hand to beg money from influential individuals and corporate organisations which we use in helping the less privileged in our communities. It is a way of strengthening the bonds of humanity, bringing people in their diversities to a common fellowship for community service and also for the purpose of collaborating to foster unity and solve society’s problems. This is synergised and weaved through the sacrificial aspect to which Rotarians give their time, talent and treasure for the wheel of rotary to keep flowing since 1905 when it was established”.

    The services rendered by these homes marked them out for the Rotary award which also included donation of some items and officials of the club said that such humanitarian services is the best thing to have happened in the society and their gesture meets the core objectives of Rotary Club worldwide. With a large population of under-privileged Nigerians in their camp, they try hard daily to fend for them and provide their daily need. The Nation gathered that the OLA Orphanage home caters for motherless babies that are sometimes picked up from the gutters and dustbin where their teenagers mothers dump them, while some others are willing taken to the home by mothers who claim they cannot take care of the babies and would also not want to throw it into gutter like others do in the city. The home provides the needed shelter and training for the children. Gidan Bege on the hand renders services to orphans and children with poor background. With four centers in Jos and other parts of the country, the centre provide training for the less privileged and provide little capital to set up in life in addition to providing food, clothing and shelters. The Awareness for Educational Development Initiative (AWEDI) owned by the Muslim community also provides similar humanitarian services like Gidan Bege.

    The event also marked the commencement of the 2014/2015 programes of the club. Santos said “Our focus in the year ahead which falls within the framework of Rotary’s six areas of focus are; peace and conflict prevention, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, economic and community development”. The club presented bundles of Blankets, Treated Mosquito Nets and Water Filters to the three orphanage homes. He said, the blanket is to warm up the users from the harsh cold of Jos, the treated nets will prevent mosquito bites and Malaria diseases, while the Water Filters are to ensure the users have access to hygienic, clean portable water source at the centers.

    Rev. Sister Lydia Audu who oversees the OLA orphanage home expressed deep appreciation to the Rotary Club for the recognition and assistance. She said, “We feel great and appreciated with this award of humanitarian service, it shows the society is appreciative of what we do at the orphanage. The items presented to us has even encouraged us the more. We want to use the opportunity to send our appeal to the general public to emulate the Rotary Club and come to the aid of these motherless babies. Nothing is too small to be given to us”. Director Planning, Reaserch and Statistics of AWEDI, Engr. Ya’qoub Saleh Isa said the organization feels elevated with the award as well as the donated items, saying “these items is coming at the right time, the rainy season when cold and mosquito attack is at its peak in the city of Jos”. On his part, the unit head of Gidan Bege, Elisha Akwai who received the items on behalf of the organization said the award came when they least expected. He promised that the items will be used strictly for the purpose it was meant. He was full of appreciation to Rotarian Santos, the 44th President of the Club.

  • Enter the Rotary governor

    Enter the Rotary governor

    Dr Bamidele Aloysius Balogun has been installed as the Rotary District 9110 Nigeria governor for the 2014-2015 year. The event held last Saturday, NNEKA NWANERI reports.

    For 15 minutes, they danced. The immediate past governor, Mr  Olugbemiga Olowu, and his successor, Dr Bamidele Balogun, were in their element wriggling their waists to Eko Akete, a popular Lagos tune.

    Members of the audience danced along with them on their seats. Virtually everyone caught the bug of dancing.

    Presenting Balogun, his successor to the gathering, Olowu hugged and shook him severally, with their wives standing beside them.

    This was the way Dr Balogun was urshed in as Governor of Rotary District 9110 Nigeria for the 2014-2015 year at the Intercontinental Hotel on Victorial Island, Lagos, last Saturday.

    The hotel’s hall was crammed with guests. Each club under the District had its own table.

    Those from Omole Golden Club wore  branded blue and yellow stripped mufflers made of Aso oke material with their names on it.

    Everyone radiated with the joy of giving selflessly. It was one of those days to have some fun and dance. Waiters moved around, ensuring that everyone’s glasses             were filled at all times.

    Yoruba actor Yemi Shodimu compered the event. The chairman of the installation committee, Ify Ejezie, urged non-members of the club to contribute minutely towards the execution of big projects.

    In his valedictory speech, Olowu challenged his successor to take the district to greater heights.

    The Sun Managing Director/Editor-in Chief and President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina who spoke on the topic: “Humanitarian service in time of crisis”,  said he knew Balogun to be a committed Rotarian and congratulated him on becoming District Governor.

    Nigerian High Commissioner in  Rwanda, Ambassador Peter Ogidi-Oke, who was in Niger Delta attire said Balogun’s tenure would usher on a new chapter in the club’s history.

    He said he met Balogun in the 70s during their National Youth Service days.

    There was more music when the Oruka musician Sunny Nneji took to the stage. While performing his latest hit Tolotolo, he moved around the audience. He also did another song in praise of women.

    In his inaugural speech with the theme: ‘Light Up Rotary’, Balogun promise d to live up to expectation, he said he would carry all Rotarians along.

    Minister of Communication, Mrs Mobolaji Johnson,  said she was there to support her uncle and wish him success. She implored the club to include Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in its programme for the year because it isveritable tool for development.

    In attendance were: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nepal Oil and Gas, Mrs Ngozi Ekeoma; all past governors of the District; Permanent Secretary Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties Dr Aderemi Desalu represented Governor Babatunde Fashola; Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa; members of the class ‘78 of the medical school and Old Students of Loyola College Ibadan, Balogun’s alma mater.

  • Rotary holds works for nurses, midwives

    The Maternal and Child Health Committee of the Rotary Club of Trans-Ekulu in Enugu Urban, has held a one-day sensitisation and review workshop for selected nurses and midwives from the five hospitals that received medical equipment and consumables from the club.

    The workshop which held at Ofuobi Africa Centre, Independent Layut Enugu Friday last week, attracted distinguished personalities. They include former Head of Service and Secretary to the State Government, Chief Clement Okwor who is also one of the contact persons for the project. Others are the medical consultant to the project, Dr. George Ugwu, a consultant gynaecologist from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, the outgoing president of Rotary Club of Trans-Ekulu, Dr. Johnny Egbonu, The Chairman of the Maternal and Child Health Committee of the Club, chief Eric Igweshi, among others.

    In his opening remark, Chief Igweshi said that the review meeting was to look at the issues that millitate against safe delivery and how they are being handled in those hospitals and to situate. It will help them find out if the reason why some medical equipments were donated to those hospitals  by his committee in collaboration with some clubs in Germany and Austria is justified.

    In his words, “we want to X-ray all efforts being made in your hospitals to ensure safe delivery. We want to see how all transactions that lead to maternal and child health mortality are being handled in your hospitals, how issues like human, environmental, structural, equipment, drugs  and other factors contribute to ineffective or effective handling of safe delivery.”

    According to him, “we invited nurses and midwives and other supporting staff from the five hospitals we selected as a pilot project, to brainstorm with the medical consultant and other project officers on how the equipment we supplied are being utilised and to also know other areas we can be of help”. He pointed out that indications are that the purpose of donating those equipment has been met.

    In his lecture, the medical consultant Dr. George Ugwu, declared that issues concerning maternal and child health is very sensitive and must be handled with utmost care by the medical personnel concerned as any negligence could prove fatal.

    According to him, the issue of monitoring pregnant women from the point of booking in for anti-natal to delivery is very important. “The issue of monitoring is very important from the day the woman booked in to delivery as any negligence could cause the dead of the mother or the child or both”, he warned.

    He said that for adequate attention to the given to maternal and child health issues, few critical points must be noted. “Doctors and other medical personnel must live near the hospitals, there should be adequate monitoring of the woman, there must be timely refferal before the case gets bad, awareness must be created for mothers to understand their roles for safe delivery, hospitals or health centres must be well equipped and personnel to handle such equipment must be properly trained”, he said pointing out that if there is need for CS, doctors should not waste time in recommending for that as “a few delay could be fatal”.

  • Rotary cash for women

    The Rotary Club of Asokoro has empowered women in Wumba Community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This it did by disbursing cash to them to help them start up a trade.

    Speaking during the event, the club’s secretary, Francis Bekey stated that the club embarked on the project because of its belief that sharing with and empowering the less-privileged ones will go a long way in reducing the level of poverty among the people.

    Bekey further revealed that the Rotary Club of Asokoro has outstanding record of empowering women in the FCT, adding that the focus of the club was economic development, especially for women and the indigent people in the society.

    “This micro-finance scheme will encourage the women to expand their businesses and contribute not only to the well-being of their families but also to the society,” she said.

    Bekey, who is the Coordinator of the micro-finance scheme, advised the women to use the money given to them wisely to ensure that they don’t disappoint the club.

    “The micro-finance scheme started with 30 members and has grown to over 100 in the FCT. Our concern is to empower women because we believe that empowering a woman translates to empowering a nation,” she said.

    She further stated that women were the targets because they are the vanguard of everything move towards development of the home and managers of families.

    Also speaking, the Director of International Service of the club, Nikky Uchime said the micro- finance scheme by the club is a programme designed to empower women in order to help contribute to the well-being of the society.

    “Our coming to Wumba Village is another achievement of the Rotary Club of Asokoro in its efforts to empower women through this kind of gesture. A total of 20 women were selected to participate in the micro-finance scheme.

    “After series of training, 16 were selected and nine people received cash. Rotary does not give money by proxy; they will have to wait for next time.

    “I encourage them to be ambassadors of Rotary Club of Asokoro. My prayer for them is that, through this micro-finance scheme, they will boost their businesses,” she said.

    Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Chidinma Uche expressed her appreciation to the club for remembering and identifying with them, adding that though a lot of women were looking for such opportunity to grow their businesses, they have not been blessed with such opportunity.

    “This is really encouraging because what we have received today will boost our business. We call on benevolent Nigerians to support the activities of the Rotary Club of Asokoro,” she said.

  • Rotary donates free medical aid to needy

    Rotary donates free medical aid to needy

    Smile came the way of many residents of Ajah, a Lagos suburb, when Rotary Club of the Victoria Garden City (VGC) donated medical materials to the Ajah Primary Health Centre and Sangotedo Primary Health Centre at the weekend.

    The VGC Rotary President, Mrs. Victoria Kuteyi-Ogundemuren said the gesture is to assist the needy who cannot afford the rising medical bill in hospitals.

    Presenting the material to the jubilant residents, who came to witness the donation at Ajah Primary Healthcare Centre, the Rotary president said gesture would complement the efforts of the Lagos State Government.

    Kuteyi-Ogundemuren explained that Rotary International is an organization that is concerned about the wellbeing of the people. “In Rotary we have about three major areas of focus which include maternal and child welfare. I want to say it has become our burden to assist in our own little ways.”

    She added that the VGC Rotary Club took cognizance of what government is doing and urged other non-governmental organizations to support the noble efforts.

    She said: “That is why we are not just donating drugs only but medical equipment for these communities. Rotary is a community based club.

    “We are giving out gloves to help prevent the coming in contact with diseases, we are donating mosquito nets, we are providing blood tonic for pregnant women, malaria tablets, cough syrups and other basic health need for children,” she added.

    She noted that the club had enlightened the people not to pay for the drugs. According to her, the health management staff has assured that the drugs will reach the people free of charge.

    “The people are not to pay for it and should be supplied free to them. Rotary is a non-governmental organization and it is rendering services to the public free of charge. We are equally educating the beneficiaries that the drug they are getting is free.

    “We just left Ajah Primary Health Care Centre we made the people to know that what we are giving them is free. The people who administer the drugs are professionals they will not tamper with the original plans. We have a list of what we give to them, where they have similar things ours should be given to them for free. I am a nurse myself and I believe that my colleagues are very responsible and professionals, they will utilse what we donate judiciously to the benefit of the people of the community.

    “Some people thought we are here to sell drug but we told them that the drugs are for free and also we let them know that the drug should be strictly applied to those who need it. When the people are healthy the community will make progress, because health is wealth.

    “Every year we donate drugs to the health centers. I must say that government is really trying I think this is one of the main achievement of the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s administration. On can see that since them the government is on top of the medical practice in Lagos State, I want to encourage them to keep doing what they are doing. We can see that the environment is clean the sanitation level is on the high side. The information about health is reaching the people, government hospitals are now being improved, there is less need for people to go to private hospitals. I will advise the people to always seek medical attention instead of going to quacks at the risk of their lives. Some people take drugs that they don’t know the level of the medicinal properties. The campaign that people should not take unwanted drug is winning and gaining momentum. What we have spent so far on the drugs we donated is almost N1 million at the two health centers.” She said.

    Responding on the behalf of the Eti Osa East Local Council Development Area, the Apex Chief Officer, Mrs Olubunmi Yusuf said the gesture came at a time the people are facing challenges on the rising medical bills in hospital.

    She said: “I want to say that what Rotary has done, is like they really want to embarrass us with their donation. By this, they have shown they are concerned about the welfare of the people.

    “The drugs and other medical facilities they donated will be separated from our own supplies. This will ensure that things are not mixed up; we will ensure they get to the beneficiaries for free.

    “We have patients here that cannot afford their drugs, so what the club donates will take care of most people in this category. Some people cannot even afford drugs at reduced prices,” Yusuf said.

  • 11 schools get Rotary’s boreholes

    No fewer than 11 schools in Ogun and Lagos States have been given motorised boreholes and prototype modern toilets by Rotary International, the global club of philanthropists’ renowned for its humanitarian activities.

    The donation a collaborative effort between Rotary Club Districts 9110 Nigeria and 5360 Canada together with some sub-districts was made to seven Secondary Schools in Lagos State and four in Ogun State.

    The flagship of the project in Lagos was commissioned at Ajara Grammar School Badagry and donated by Ajara Rotary Club where Otunba Yomi Olomofe holds sway as the club’s first class president. The Ogun State flagship was at the Male Comprehensive High School Igbesa near Gateway Polytechnic and donated by Rotary Club of Agbara where Prince Joseph Odogbo is the club president.

    The commissioning ceremony was performed by Rotary International Nigeria 9110 District Governor, Mr. Gbemiga Olowu and Prof (Dr.) Jan Leentvaar, a visiting District Governor of Rotary International (RI) 1590 Netherlands, who was on tour of the Nigerian District on needs assessment and evaluation. His visit coincided with the weeklong commissioning of Rotary empowerment programme.

    At both venues in Badagry and Igbesa, the students, members of staff and school management including notable community chiefs and indigenes could not hide their joy for the timely gesture, pouring encomium on Rotary International for its humanitarian activities globally.

    District Governor Gbemisa Olowu said at both events that considering the population of the schools involved Rotary sees the project as a tip of the and will continue to do more in its service delivery pursuits, globally.

    Mr. Somo Omoniyi, past district governor 9110 said as the project manager, the concept of the water and toilet project was conceived to improve the sanitary conditions in our crowded schools. He said each unit of the project costs N2million, emphasizing that the monies are direct donations from members of the various Rotary Clubs within the project catchment areas.

  • Rotary gives US$7.7 million to fight polio in Nigeria

    Rotary gives US$7.7 million to fight polio in Nigeria

    Rotary International, a spearheading partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has released a grant totalling US $7.7 million to support polio immunization activities and research in Nigeria.

    The funding commitment comes at a critical time to reach the high-risk unvaccinated remainder.

    Poliovirus continues to wreck havoc in the north-east and north-central part of the country with states in the north being the main source of polio infections elsewhere in Nigeria and in neighbouring countries.

    “Rotary’s funding of polio immunization activities and research brings anticipation of a polio-free Nigeria and hope to millions of high-risk children,” said Mr Abdulrahmen O. Funsho, National PolioPlus Committee Chair in Nigeria.

    Grant amounts were based on requests from eradication initiative partners UNICEF and the World Health Organization, which work with the Nigerian government to plan and carry out immunization activities.

    Other countries where Rotary funds will be used to fight polio include Burkina Faso, $2.1 million; Cameroon, $3.4 million; Democratic Republic of Congo, $3.9 million; Niger, $2.3 million; Somalia, $1.3 million; South Sudan, $2.6 million; and Sudan, $1.2 million.

    UNICEF will use a Rotary grant of $2.73 million to bolster vaccination activities throughout the Horn of Africa as part of an on-going response to an outbreak that began in 2013 and has now infected more than 200 children.

    These so-called “imported” cases are linked to the strain of polio endemic to Nigeria, underscoring the need to stop the virus where it has originated.

    “Rotary and our partners the federal and state governments, WHO, UNICEF, CDC, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Dangote Foundation are working to ensure that by end of this year 2014 no child is in danger of contracting polio and its severe irreversible consequences,” Funsho adds.

    Understanding polio is important in the fight against it. Polio is a highly contagious, devastating disease that mainly affects children under five years of age. It invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours.

    The virus enters the body through the mouth, multiplies in the gut, and spreads easily via faecal contaminated food and water. Initial symptoms to look out for include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs.

    There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented through administration with oral polio vaccine (OPV). Given multiple times, it can protect a child for life.

    Since its launch, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has reduced the global incidence of polio by more than 99 per cent. More than 10 million people are walking today who otherwise would have been paralysed.

    The polio cases represented by the remaining one per cent are the most difficult to prevent due to cultural barriers, high rates of poverty and illiteracy, poor public infrastructure, geographical isolation and sometimes armed conflict or social unrest.

    Until polio is eradicated, all countries remain at risk of outbreaks.

    *Dr Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease

    prevention and control. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.

    Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com

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