World Immunization Week, 24-30 April, is a great opportunity to help spread the word that #VaccinesWork and are critical to preventing and ending diseases, like polio.
Immunizations can save as many as 3 million lives a year and is one the most cost-effective healthcare tools, according to the World Health Organization. Vaccines help people all over the world live healthy lives.
Here are four ways your club can support global immunization during World Immunization Week:
1. Learn
Did you know that through immunization Rotary and its partners have helped protect more than 2.5 billion children worldwide from polio? In addition, the “plus” in PolioPlus helps support a range of additional health and humanitarian interventions for other disease initiatives, such as measles and tuberculosis. Use this article at your next meeting to discuss how your club can get more involved in Rotary’s global priority. Encourage your members to follow End Polio Now on Facebook and Twitter for the latest polio eradication news.
2. Get involved
World Polio Day may seem far away, but it’s never too early to begin planning your activity for 24 October! Last year, a record number of Rotary clubs registered their events, and we are planning an even bigger splash for 2018. Looking for inspiration? Visit the Resource Center for videos, educational materials, and event tools to get started. Virtual reality (VR), Rotary’s latest club resource, is a great tool to add to your World Polio Day event. Through VR, viewers can see firsthand how together we end polio. Rotary is developing a suite of resources to help clubs integrate VR into a club event, but in the meantime, experience VR for yourself. Download the Rotary VR app to your smartphone device from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
3. Donate
Donations to PolioPlus support vaccinations, surveillance, and outbreak response — three key elements to helping end this disease for good. Thanks to your generosity, we are working to raise $50 million per year over the next three years in order to unlock a 2-to-1 match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced last year at the Rotary International Convention. Rotary clubs are encouraged to give $1,500 or more to polio each year. Districts can also allocate 20% of their funds to the cause through District Designated Funds (DDF). And here’s how to give as an individual.
4. Share the news
Show how your Rotary club is a part of a global effort to immunize the world’s children by using #endpolio and #vaccineswork in your social media posts. Use these templates to tailor your social media messages. Reach out to local media during World Immunization Week to share your club’s involvement in the fight against polio. If you need help starting this conversation, talk to your regional public image coordinator. Be sure to tell us about what your club is doing to help end polio so we can share your work with readers around the world.