Chronicle Editor
Esinathy Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
ZIMBABWE joined the rest of the world in commemorating the World Polio day yesterday after going almost 30 years without recording new cases of the viral disease.
The day is marked on October 24 every year and runs under the theme “Bold Steps to End Polio.”
The Rotary club- an international organisation- and other partners, is leading the cause to end new infections worldwide.
The virus is spread person to person, typically through contaminated water.
It can attack the nervous system, and in some instances, lead to paralysis. Although there is no cure, there is a safe and effective vaccine – one which Rotary and its partners use to immunise over 2.5 billion children worldwide.
In a Statement, the Rotary Club, which launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988 after making a commitment to raise funds to protect children from the disease, urged parents to get their children vaccinated.
“Every child needs to be vaccinated. We are delighted that in Zimbabwe, we do have worked together with the Ministry of Health, several city councils and different health departments to ensure that every child is vaccinated,” said the Rotary Foundation District Chairperson Mrs Sandy Whitehead.
“One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, usually in the legs. Among those paralysed, five to 10 percent die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.”
Rotary Club volunteers are on vaccination campaigns and mobilising communities for anti-polio activities across the world.
Rotarians have contributed $1.6 billion over the past 30 years and have volunteered to help immunise children all over the world.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation joined the fight against polio in 2007 and have donated over $600 million to date.
Symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs.
Mrs Whitehead said the club is still hands on in raising awareness and funds to prevent polio globally and they have been working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to ensure that every child gets vaccinated.
“Even if the last case of polio is identified this year, a huge amount of work will remain to ensure that it has indeed been eradicated. It will take three years to ensure that it is, in fact, the final one. The polio-fighting community will still need to vaccinate hundreds of millions of children every year until the world is certified polio-free,” she said.
There are just three countries where polio is still endemic. Nigeria has had no cases for two years. So far this year there have been 20 cases of polio; 16 in Afghanistan and four in Pakistan. These countries face challenges such as insecurity, weak health systems and poor sanitation.
Poliomyelitis (polio) is transmitted from one person to the other mainly through the fecal and oral route or contaminated water or food. Oral-oral transmission by way of an infected person’s saliva may account for some cases.
In Zimbabwe, former Mayor of Bulawayo and advisor to the President on National Disability Cde Joshua Malinga is among notable victims of the disease.
-@esinathy_essira
Online Reporter