World Polio Day Proclamation
"World Polio Day" - October 24, 2021
WHEREAS, in 1985 Rotary International launched Polio Plus and spearheaded the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with the World Health Organization, U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, that has immunized over 2.5 billion children to date; and
WHEREAS, polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent from 350,000 in 1988 to 22 in 2017 and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease forever; and
WHEREAS, to date, Rotary has contributed US$1.8 billion and is working to raise an additional $150 million to be matched with a $300 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and
WHEREAS, World Polio Day is celebrated around the globe on October 24th. It was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who in 1955 led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis; and
WHEREAS, there are 50 Rotary Clubs with over 1,450 members in Rotary District 5040 (BC), and 2 Rotary Clubs with over 40 members in Whistler, all committed to the eradication of polio and sponsoring service projects to address such critical issues as poverty, health, hunger, illiteracy, and the environment in their local communities, and abroad.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mike Richman, Mayor of the Village of Pemberton and Council do hereby proclaim October 24th, 2021 as WORLD POLIO DAY in the Village of Pemberton and encourage all citizens to join us and Rotary International in the campaign for a polio-free world.
Mayor
Mike Richman
For more information about Polio, visit the Rotary International website.