World Polio Day 2019
Proclamation
World Polio Day
October 24, 2019
WHEREAS, it is estimated by Rotary International over a decade ago, World Polio Day is held on October 24th in celebration of the birth of Dr. Jonas Salk, the man who led the first team to develop a vaccine against polio. The development of the polio vaccine reduced polio worldwide by 99%; and
WHEREAS, Rotary International decided to take on the challenge of eliminating polio around the world back in 1985, 2.5 billion people throughout 122 countries have been inoculated. While tremendous progress has been made since 1988, pockets of wild poliovirus remain, leaving unvaccinated children at risk of lifelong, irreversible paralysis; and
WHEREAS, in light of continued polio outbreaks and funding shortages, the 65th World Health Assembly declared the completion of polio eradication a global public health programmatic emergency in May 2012, resulting in a global intensification of polio vaccination activities;
WHEREAS, polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent since 1988 and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Corporation of the Town of Pelham does hereby proclaim October 24, 2019 as World Polio Eradication Day; and
DATED AT the Town of Pelham this 17th day of October, 2019.
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Mayor Marvin Junkin
Town of Pelham