Rotary, Polio and COVID-19
Over the next several months the polio infrastructure Rotary helped build – including its tools, workforce, and extensive surveillance networks – will be used to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by supporting preparedness and response activities in many countries, including Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. This truly represents the ‘Plus” in PolioPlus.
Building on decades of experience stopping polio outbreaks, Rotary and our partners have a critical role to play in protecting communities from this unprecedented pandemic, just as the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) did in the past to respond to outbreaks of Ebola, yellow fever, and Avian flu.
In places like Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan polio staff are tracing contacts and testing for COVID-19, combatting misinformation and sensitizing health professionals on the disease. The GPEI’s coordination mechanisms – such as hotlines and emergency operations centers – and physical assets like vehicles and computers have also been deployed against COVID-19.
Pakistan: Polio staff are aiding efforts to strengthen surveillance and raise awareness
about COVID-19 across Pakistan. The team has trained hundreds of surveillance officers
while also supporting the development of a new data system that’s fully integrated with
the system used for polio. Across the country, polio eradication logistics experts are
facilitating the distribution of personal protective equipment for the COVID-19
response.
Rotarians are providing face masks, personal protection kits to medical staff, repairing
ventilators, assisting governments in setting up and monitoring quarantines sites, and
utilizing vaccine carriers to transport COVID-19 specimens to laboratories.
Rotary’s Polio Resource Centers are helping the fight against COVID-19 by sensitizing
religious leaders and community influencers, producing posters with information on
hygiene and physical distancing, and providing food rations to families in need.
Nigeria: In Ogun and Lagos states, over 50 polio program medical staff are conducting
contact tracing, disease detection and data collection and analysis to stem the spread of
COVID-19. World Health Organization field offices used for polio eradication
coordination across the country are now supporting COVID-19 teams, and the GPEI is
lending phones, vehicles and administrative support to the response.
Afghanistan: Over 3,750 community volunteers who typically support polio surveillance
in Afghanistan are now promoting handwashing and positive hygiene practices in
communities to reduce transmission and exposure to COVID-19.