Statement on World Polio Day

October 24 has been designated World Polio Day by Rotary International in honour of the birth of American medical researcher and polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk.

Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich–Gulf Islands, has issued the following statement on World Polio Day 2014:

“Since the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, the number of cases of polio diagnosed each year has been reduced by 99%.

Successful initiatives like this should serve as an example of what the global community of nations can accomplish when we truly commit to working together for the betterment of all humanity.

The global fight against polio continues today, with cases still being diagnosed in Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. I remain confident that soon all children across around the world will have access to the polio vaccine and this disease will be eradicated once and for all.

This initiative has received tremendous support from many thousands of Canadian Rotarians, and as a Rotarian myself I commend them for all their hard work.”
 

-30-

 

Contact:

Julian Morelli
Director of Communications
Green Party of Canada
(613) 614 4916
Julian.morelli@greenparty.ca