The India Experience - February 2012
India - February 2012 - National Immunization Day
India 2012
Our two week experience in India was life-changing. Our team of 20 Rotarians and guests from the US and UK now have a much greater appreciation for the challenges of Ending Polio Now and the tremendous team accomplishments of the Government of India, Rotarians, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization in achieving the removal of India from the list of polio-endemic countries. We joined dozens of other NID teams in India in February 2012 to administer life-saving oral polio vaccine to children at booths set up in cities, slums, and train and bus stations as well as going from house to house to ensure that no child age 0-5 years old was missed. We proved to ourselves that we can make a difference. And we sent a powerful message to children, families, Rotarians, and citizens in India that foreigners (we) would travel 8000 miles at our own expense to help save the lives of children from the scourge of polio. And, at the end, we joined with Rotarians and government dignitaries from many countries at a Polio Summit to celebrate India's accomplishment and set the course for the challenges ahead in the fight to End Polio Now.
Please watch our 12 minute video on our immunization activities, and check out our blog at http://nid2012india.wordpress.com/.
I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to lead the 2012 Polio NID Team
Richard A. Rivkin
District 6440 Assistant Governor 2011-2012 2012-2013
E-mail: rrivkin@yahoo.com
Direct Fax: +1 847-919-6812
Mobile Telephone: +1 847-909-9072 (Global Coverage)