At last week’s meeting, we welcomed District Governor-Nominee Bill Petty from the Tuscaloosa Morning Club as he shared his story of participating in the National Immunization Days (NIDs) in India.
During the annual NIDs, thousands of volunteers and health workers, together with Rotary and Rotaract members, canvas the streets throughout the country in search of children to immunize. They travel from house to house knocking on doors in farm towns, rural villages, and even isolated areas to ensure that every child receives the drops of polio vaccine.
Cautious families feel safe opening their doors once they see the polio T-shirts and hats that Rotary clubs supply that identifies the volunteers. Prior to the NIDs, Rotarians use the media, television, radio, and other local sources to encourage participation in immunizations. As a result, entire communities are vaccinated, bringing us just one step closer to global and permanent eradication.