ROTARY members from across Tameside joined the borough’s Civic Mayor to mark World Polio Day and highlight the global effort to eradicate the disease.
Councillor Helen Bowden attended a gathering at Dukinfield Town Hall alongside members of Dukinfield & Stalybridge Rotary Club and Tameside Rotary Club.
The event marked World Polio Day on October 24, an annual awareness campaign highlighting the importance of vaccination and the progress made towards eliminating polio worldwide.
Rotary International has played a major role in the global eradication campaign, working alongside organisations including the World Health Organisation to protect children from the disease.
Ian Cochrane, District Governor for Rotary North West England and the Isle of Man, and a member of Dukinfield & Stalybridge Rotary Club, reflected on the progress achieved over nearly four decades.
He said: “Since the launch of the global polio eradication initiative nearly 40 years ago, cases of the wild strain of polio have reduced by 99.9 per cent.
“Back in 1988, there were an estimated 350,000 cases of polio across 125 countries. With the assistance of the World Health Organisation, Rotary has helped to immunise over 2.5 billion children against polio.
“Now it is only prevalent in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
Although wild poliovirus remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the international campaign has brought the world closer than ever to eradicating the disease.
Mr Cochrane also praised the continued fundraising efforts of both local clubs.
He added: “A big thank you to both clubs who continue to raise significant funds towards Rotary International’s End Polio Now fund as we get very close to delivering on our pledge to the children of the world to eradicate polio.”
The occasion recognised the contribution of local volunteers to an international campaign that has helped protect generations of children.