Prime Minister David Cameron has been presented with the Polio Eradication Champion Award by Rotary for his leadership and dedication to a polio-free world.
International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell received the award on Mr. Cameron’s behalf, from Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee at a reception at the House of Commons.
"On behalf of Rotary’s 1.2 million members worldwide, I am honoured to recognise the commitment of Prime Minister Cameron for his outstanding support of efforts to eradicate polio," said President Kalyan. "My own country, India, has just surpassed the milestone of a year without polio. We would not be so close to achieving the goal of a polio free world without the longstanding support and continued leadership of the United Kingdom. We encourage other G8 countries to follow the UK’s lead in continuing their support so that the world will soon be polio free."
"It is an honour for the UK and the Prime Minister in particular to be recognised in this way," said Mr Mitchell. "Britain is at the forefront of the fight against polio and, last year alone, Britain helped fully immunise over 45 million children from the crippling disease. None of this would be possible without the public private partnership of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and the tireless leadership of Rotary International and its dedicated members. I urge all other countries and organisations to play their part now to achieve our ultimate goal of a world free from polio."
In receiving Rotary’s Polio Eradication Champion Award, the Prime Minister joins a roster of distinguished leaders, including India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.
A highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis and sometimes death, polio still strikes children in parts of Africa and South Asia. As there is no cure, the best protection is prevention. For as little as 25 pence, a child can be protected for life. Globally, the number of polio cases has been reduced from 350,000 children annually in the mid-1980s to fewer than 700 reported cases last year.
Challenges remain in the three polio-endemic countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. India, long considered the global epicenter of the disease, was removed from the polio-endemic list in February.
Help End Polio Now by contacting your local Rotary club and discover how you can make a world of a difference to communities at home and overseas.
