A SPECIAL ceremony will be held later this week to mark the global fight against polio – a disease that campaigners say could soon be eradicated for good.
The Civic Mayor of Tameside, Cllr Shibley Alam, will join members of the Dukinfield and Stalybridge Rotary Club on the steps of Dukinfield Town Hall to commemorate World Polio Day.
The gathering takes place at 12 noon on Friday, October 24, and will pay tribute to the tireless work of Rotary International, which has been at the forefront of global polio eradication since 1979.
Working alongside the World Health Organisation, Rotary has helped immunise more than 2.5 billion children, leading to a 99.9% reduction in cases worldwide.
Back in 1988, there were an estimated 350,000 cases across 125 countries. Today, only 25 cases have been recorded this year – all of the same strain in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Ian Cochrane, the club’s Foundation Lead and District Governor Elect, said:
“Dukinfield and Stalybridge Rotary Club is very proud of its continued support for the End Polio Now campaign. We are one of the largest donors amongst Rotary Clubs in the North West and recently received a certificate of appreciation for our financial support of the End Polio Now: Countdown to History campaign. Together, we will fulfil our promise to the children of the world to eradicate polio.”
The club will also hold a Curry Night at Candolim Restaurant in Stalybridge on Thursday, October 30, with all proceeds donated to the End Polio Now campaign.
Rotary members say that achieving a polio-free world will be “a lasting gift to future generations” and a reminder of what can be achieved through global cooperation and community action.