DG Anneas Balt's Visit, Lucille's Lecture and following up Polio eradication in Cote d' Ivoire

Last week's meeting had a low turn-out as many people were away but the week's activities certainly made up for it with the DG Anneas Balt's visit and all that entailed.

On the Friday night there was a 'Workshop' that was attended by President Joan Donet, Graham Donet, Steve Du Plessis and myself.  The other clubs involved were Parktown Excalibur, Rosebank and Johannesburg East.  It was dominated by a discussion on Satellite Clubs and there was a distinct divide between those clubs who were opposed to change and those who were not.  It was an interesting evening and you can see that Anneas Balt is making great efforts to move the District forward and he needs all the assistance he can get from the progressive clubs.

Saturday Morning Anneas visited one of our projects, Hotel Hope.  We have already had a pledge of 4 000 Euros for the extensions from the Rotary Club of Delft.  We are putting in a similar amount and we aim to find the balance from either a District or Foundation Grant.  Mike Vink has been busy putting this presentation together.

Saturday night saw a dinner hosted by Rosebank Club at Wanderers.  Each of the five clubs gave a brief presentation on why you should join their particular club.  Some clubs were more able to follow the brief than others but all presentations were interesting.  The food was good and the 10 members from our club had a good social time.  Even the jokes by MC Roger Lloyd were entertaining!  President Joan Donet was down for the Grace which she achieved with grace.

At one point it looked as if there was going to be dancing but it was a false alarm.

This Week
It's a Rotary Information Meeting.  It was going to be a Foundation Meeting but Graham Donet was knocked off his scooter last Saturday.  He's fine, just bruised and bored.  He is off work until Wednesday and so he may be at Rotary.  Our thoughts are with you, Graham.

Don't forget to bring bottles for the Golf Day Wheelbarrow of Booze and to keep pushing for participants and prizes.  We don't have long to go.
(I keep forgetting to bring bottles myself!)

Invitation
Lucille Blumberg is giving the James HS Gear Memorial Lecture this year.  It's a public lecture and it would be good to support her.

OPENING THE DOOR TO POLIO ERADICATION

Volunteers show a woman in Azuretti a pamphlet on polio and de-worming, part of the public awareness campaign to boost participation.

Photo Credit: Alyce Henson/Rotary International

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It’s been more than two years since the last polio case was reported in Côte d’lvoire. Time enough for people to become complacent about immunizations. But that would be a mistake – a potentially deadly mistake.

“The public sometimes doesn’t understand why, after so many rounds of polio immunization, they are still being asked to bring their children to the immunization post,” says Marie-Irène Richmond-Ahoua, chair of Rotary’s National PolioPlus Committee in Côte d’lvoire.

As a long-time advocate for polio eradication, Richmond-Ahoua knows you can’t let up against this tenacious and crippling disease. With Nigeria one of three remaining polio-endemic countries, the possibility of fresh outbreaks in Côte d’lvoire is a constant threat. The only way to keep the poliovirus out of the country are regular immunizations of all children under age five.

During National Immunization Days (NIDs) in April, thousands of volunteers and health workers, together with Rotary and Rotaract members, canvassed the streets throughout the country in search of children to immunize. They traveled from house to house knocking on doors in shantytowns and rural villages. But gaining entrance to these homes required another round of convincing.

“Côte d’lvoire has just experienced a conflict and people are still cautious. They don’t want to open their door to just anyone,” says Richmond-Ahoua. But once they see the polio T-shirts and hats that Rotary clubs supply to identify vaccinators, she says they feel safe opening their doors.

Communication is also key to mobilizing public support. Rotary members use the media, television, radio, and even griots, African tribal storytellers, to encourage participation in immunizations. As a result, 7.5 million children received two drops of oral polio vaccine, along with vitamin A supplements and de-worming tablets, during the NIDs.

Supplementary immunization campaigns like this one are part of the comprehensive 2013-18 Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan. The plan outlines what is needed to eradicate all polio disease by 2018. In June the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a new fundraising agreement with Rotary. If successful, the campaign, which matches donations two-to-one (up to $35 million per year), will help raise $525 million for polio eradication.

“Polio eradication is not an option, it’s an obligation,” Richmond-Ahoua says. “When you consider what’s been done in Côte d’lvoire, despite the many obstacles we’ve faced, you are deeply convinced that polio will soon be eradicated.”