Page 7 - Rotary Matters - November 2021

Polio Ute relay launched for national Polio Day

This year another polio ute relay will be held with most clubs expected to be reached subject to COVID-19
restrictions. The relay was launched in Rundle Mall on Friday 22 October and the display continued
through Saturday as well. Area 12 clubs helped staff the display.

The relay will be in reverse this year with metropolitan clubs visited first before branching out to rural and
regional areas. A raffle will accompany the vehicle and books will be forwarded to clubs shortly before the
visit.

The Eradicate Polio campaign has almost reached its goal after sterling work by Rotarians all over the
world for the past 36 years. There are still only two cases of wild polio reported this year - one in Pakistan
and one in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is starting a
house to house immunisation drive this month to
vaccinate 3.5 million children. Because of the war,
the program was suspended three years ago.

Rotary has audited the 2021 polio results in both
countries this year because of the remarkable drop
in the number of cases. It is satisfied the records are
correct. Rotary will continue to lead the vaccination
program for three years after the last recorded case.
Then the World Health Organization will declare the
world polio free.

Again Paradise Mazda is to be thanked for providing
and sign-writing the ute for the duration of the relay.

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