Powell River Rotarian Jan Gisborne is thrilled to hear that India has been removed from the polio-endemic list.
“This is a major accomplishment for all the parties involved —government of India, Rotary International, World Health Organization [WHO] and UNICEF,” said Gisborne who is a polio survivor.
“In 2009, they had 741 cases in India and they have now gone over a year without a new case,” she added. “Let’s hope the little 18-month-old girl who contracted polio on January 13, 2011, will be India’s last case.”
Ghulam Nabi Azad, India’s minister of health and family welfare, made the announcement at Polio Summit 2012 in New Delhi on February 25. Azad said he had been informed of WHO’s action by its director-general, Dr. Margaret Chan.
“It is a matter of satisfaction that we have completed one year without any single new case of polio being reported from anywhere in the country,” Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at the summit, which was organized by the government of India and Rotary International. “This gives us hope that we can finally eradicate polio not only from India but from the face of the entire mother earth. The real credit goes to the 2.3 million volunteers who repeatedly vaccinated children even in the most remote areas, often in very bad weather conditions,” Singh said. “I commend each one of them for their dedication, commitment and selfless service.”
Having volunteered in both India and Nigeria to immunize children, Gisborne is aware of the obstacles that must be overcome to succeed in eradicating polio worldwide.
“This is the result of a lot of hard work by volunteers from not only India but from around the world.” Gisborne said. “Without volunteers this would not have been possible. They’re celebrating in India right now and remain committed to their immunization program of 174 million children.”
Before polio eradication can be certified in India, it must go two more years without another case of the disease.
“Until the world is declared polio-free, no child is safe from polio,” said Gisborne.
Polio remains endemic in only three countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.
