India, November 2006
8 November
You can’t miss the bright yellow Rotary banners spanning the road. The
banners show two large drops of vaccine going into a child’s mouth.
We visited the Taj Mahal today. It was the first time we saw people who had to
crawl on the ground because they couldn’t walk, and it brought home to
me why we’re here. Maybe because of our work, there will come a day when
no child is unable to walk because of polio.
11 November
Our day started early. We traveled to the city of Moradabad and met
with the magistrate, who described the situation here. The picture isn’t
pretty.
In 2005, the number of polio cases dropped to 29. But by March 2006, the number
of confirmed cases had climbed to 413. There are now over 500 cases, but they
suspect there are many more unconfirmed. The good news is that the cooler weather
isn’t favorable to the spread of the wild poliovirus, and repeated National
Immunization Days will hopefully reach most children before next summer.
The government is fully committed to polio eradication. We told the magistrate
that Rotary was committed to helping until India is polio-free.
12 November
The Rotary Club of Moradabad Mid-Town's booth was on a narrow, crowded street.
Four women stood at a long table administering the vaccine. Once a drop was
given, the child’s finger was marked with permanent purple ink.
I was the first to give drops in our group. On my first try, nothing came
out. A UNICEF worker moved my fingers down closer to the tip, and the lifesaving
drop came easily. Then another. A lump came up in my throat as I realized that
neither this baby nor his parents would ever have to fear the devastation of
polio.
We visited several more booths. At every booth, there was a government worker
keeping track of the number of children immunized. Rotarians walked outside the
booths checking fingers.
13 November
All of us had a final opportunity to give drops again on this last day. The
teams throughout Uttar Pradesh will work another five long, hard days before
this campaign will be over. And in early January, it starts all over again.
Back at home
Can we make polio a distant memory? I believe we can. We came home more determined
than ever to make polio, like smallpox, a disease of the past. We will keep
Rotary’s commitment to the children of the world. Our grandchildren deserve
it.
For more information, read about Rotary International's PolioPlus program.