ROTA

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT

CHANGEYOUR WATER

06

WATER & SANITATIONMONTH

FEATURE!

PAGE 14

Secretary's Message

MAR 2016 | ISSUE 21AFRICA

ROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

Randomthoughts onMembership

Lessons from PresidentRavi's Capetown conference

Happy Women’s Day!! Belatedly.

Yes, the world took to the streets earlier in the month to

celebrate Women’s Day. Many of us also joined in on social

media. All in all, women around the globe were celebrated in

different ways. Following behind and in true fashion this

month, we felt obliged to feature one Kenyan woman a fellow

Rotarian, based on her exemplary commitment to fundraising

for Polio. This month we also have a couple of updates and

captions of Rotary activities across Africa including our

updated calendar highlighting upcoming events including the

Seoul Convention. Be sure to mark your calendars so as not to

miss out on anything. This and much more…

As in past issues, I thank our readers and followers for giving

us audience every month. I hope you will enjoy our 22nd issue

and look forward to your continued feedback, which is

invaluable. I would really like to here of any improvements

and suggestions you may have.

Guideline for article submissions: submitted articles must be

strictly between 200 to 400 words (500 words max) and be

accompanied by a high quality image or picture. Submit your

articles to Geeta@maneknet.com by the 20th of each month.

Happy reading friends! Viva Rotary in Africa! PS: To view,

peruse or download our past ROTA 2014/15/16 newsletters,

visit www.Reachouttoafrica.org today.

Issue 19 | 2016

EDITOR'S NOTE

Geeta ManekRI Coordinator Zone 20A,ROTA Chair Region 5,ROTA Newsletter Editor

IMAGE CREDIT:Cover and Inner Pagewww.google.com

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 21

02

CONTENTSROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

PHOTO OF THEMONTH

STORIES FROMAFRICA

RANDOM THOUGHTSON MEMBERSHIP

We so love to hearfrom you. Sendus your favourite Rotarymoments and we willfeature them in thissection. Help us becomebetter with each issue.

According to AG Agbrokoour membership marketingstrategies need a rethinkand overhaul.

10

01

WATER & SANITATION MONTH

EDITOR'S NOTEHappy Women's Day belatedly!Hope you enjoy our March issue. We welcome your feedback.

Lessons from PresidentRavi's Capetown conference

Though the earth's crust is coveredby over 70% water, 70% of theworld's population today has noaccess to clean and potable water

08 14

03 CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE

06

13

WORD FROM OUR SECRETARY

FEATURE:

RANDOM THOUGHTSON MEMBERSHIP

FOR YOUR COMMENTS ANDFEEDBACK EMAIL:GEETA@MANEKNET.COM

WWW.REACHOUTTOAFRICA.COM

"LESSONS FROM RI PRESIDENT RAVI's CAPE TOWN

CONFERENCE

Actively finding strategic partnerships with government, businesses, civil society

and academia; access to funding; mentorship; creating networks that enable access

to markets and identifying ways to support entrepreneurs in communities, are

some of the priority areas identified that Rotarians across the continent and globe,

have committed to supporting. This comes after a stimulating day of dialogue and

debate at the Rotary International Economic Development Conference hosted at

Kelvin Grove in Rondesboch, Cape Town on 27 February 2016.

Just over 200 delegates from 18 different countries attended the full day

economic development conference hosted by Southern African Rotary

Clubs, to find solutions on how best to support the all-important growing

entrepreneurial sector on the continent, and with a view to further

expanding into global markets. A clear message for the day was that

‘young entrepreneurs are the future of Africa and solutions need to be

found to support them’. South Africa’s youth unemployment rate is

approximately 24%. Clem Sunter, leading international strategist and

entrepreneurial author, indicated that the only way to improve the

situation is through entrepreneurship.

We need to find a way to instil a culture of entrepreneurial thinking

among the youth of Africa. We don’t have a culture of celebrating

entrepreneurs; we need to change people’s mind-sets and profile the

incredible work of our young entrepreneurs. These young entrepreneurs

have an incredible energy about them. We need to celebrate e

Issue 19 | 2016

Patrick D. ChisangaROTA Chair 2014/15/16

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 21

03

Issue 21| 2016

entrepreneurs as the coolest people on the block; it is this passion and ‘cool’

energy that gets things started.” Minister of Economic Development,

Ebrahim Patel, applauded Rotary for taking the initiative to host such a

conference. “The language of economic development is empowering local

communities. This is however only possible through partnerships and

fresh ideas,” said Patel Skills development in this regard is crucial and

governments cannot do this alone. Patel called on all Rotarians to guide

and be mentors to the entrepreneur, while helping them access networks

and markets that the entrepreneurs would not necessarily have had

exposure to. The Minister welcomed ideas on how all the role players can

partner and work together.

The highly successful RI Presidential Economic Conference has created a

platform for action, along with many expectations and opportunities to

take the concept and proposed projects forward by a Conference Legacy

Project Team. This team will be responsible for driving the

implementation of potential conference legacy projects. They will also

monitor and evaluate the impact of these projects with a view to relevant.

The timeline for the completion of the HOC’S report on its findings and

recommendations will be circulated to all conference delegates that

attended the conference, by not later than 30 March 2016. Clearly there are

many practical lessons to be drawn from the Cape Town Conference in so

far as Youth Entrepreneurial Economic empowerment is concerned. I will

circulate the Final Report as soon as it is ready next month.

Issue 21 | 2016

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENTCONTINUED..

CHANGE YOUR WATER, CHANGE YOUR LIFE

According to the Holy book, in the beginning when God created the universe,

the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything

was engulfed in total darkness and the power of God was moving over the

water...Then God commanded, "let the water below the sky come together in

one place, so that the land will appear" - and it was done. That was how land was

created. Even at that, the earth's crust is still covered by over 70% water. This

may not be as cheerful seeing as over 70% of the world's population today has

no access to clean and portable water.

Our bodies are comprised of almost 70% water. Even at that, drinking water

every day is crucial to maintaining good health. Only water can keep our bodies

properly hydrated and allow our bodies to function at optimal level. Water is

the key to maintaining good health and hydration. Unfortunately, the world's

water is polluted with agricultural run-off, sewage and other toxic agents that

compromise our health. Only about 3% of the world's water is fresh water. The

remaining 97% is in the oceans and thus unfit for consumption and agricultural

use. About 70% of the 3% that is fresh is trapped in icecaps and glaciers. The

implication is that the entire world is competing for 30% of the 3% of fresh water

in ground water.

While the West and developed nations take clean and safe water for granted, it

is luxury to most developing nations. Inadequate drinking water, sanitation and

hygiene are estimated to cause over 800,000 diarrhoea diseases deaths per year

and contribute substantially to other diseases. Inadequate supply of water is the

major reason why water cistern toilet facilities cannot be deployed in most part

of sub-Saharan Africa and other developing nations. Hence, the residents resort

to defecating in the open and in the bush. It is also part of the reason why the

Issue 20| 2016

Lawrence OkworROTA Secretary 2014/15/16 lawrenceokwor@yahoo.com

FROM THE SECRETARY'S DESK

girl child enrolment in schools is on the decrease. Safe and sufficient drinking-water

along with adequate sanitation and hygiene have implications across all Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs), which have transformed to Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) from eradicating poverty and hunger, reducing child mortality,

improving maternal health, combating infectious diseases to ensuring environmental

sustainability. It is gratifying that Rotary and its Foundation has adopted water and

sanitation as part of its area of focus. Rotary Clubs and Districts are deploying water

wells and toilets in schools and communities in need. We may not be able to solve all

the World's Water and Sanitation problems, but we can certainly play our part.

You lose water through your breadth, sweat and urine throughout the day. Sweating

is the body's natural cooling mechanism, but when you fail to replace the water lost

through sweating, your body cannot perform at optimal level. Many of the beverages

we choose to drink instead of water come with extras that our bodies don't need, such

as sugar and caffeine. Change your water. Change your life

Issue 20| 2016

FROM THE SECRETARY'S DESK

We had a wonderful donation from Mahindra SA worth ZAR

420,000 for purchase of 5000 solar lamps for 5000 scholars

writing their final school exams. This project was launched to

coincide with RI's 111th anniversary.

Issue 20 | 2016

PHOTO FROM OUR READERS

YOUR PHOTO

OF THE MONTH

Photo credit: PDG Shirley Downie RI ImageCoordinator: 2012/2016 – Southern Africa Zone

20A D9400: Council of LegislationRepresentative: 2016 and Health & Hunger

FAST NEWS

NOW ACCEPTINGAPPLICATIONS FOR ROTARY PEACE FELLOWSHIP

TheRotary Foundation Headed for itsCentennial

The celebration of The RotaryFoundation’s 2016- 17 centennialofficially kicks off at this year’sconvention in Korea, but you canprepare your club and districtofficers now using materials in thecentennial promotion kit.

Here are some ideas for promotingthe centennial in your upcomingpresidents-elect training seminarand district training assembly:

• Use the centennial logo on yourFoundation training materials.• Share weekly Foundation facts withparticipants prior to trainingsessions.• Feature the Foundation in yourprogram, emphasizing that clubsshould hold Rotary Days to showcasethe Foundation’s history and goodwork.• Strategize ideas to promote thecentennial in your community.• Share your district’s plans forincreasing Foundation giving inhonor of the centennial.

And don’t forget the centennialbook, “Doing Good in the World: TheInspiring Story of The RotaryFoundation’s First 100 Years.” Clubsand members can order the book,which features stories of theFoundation’s rich history, atshop.rotary.org.

The spike in regional and local conflicts around the globehas boosted the need for professionals skilled in wagingpeace. The fully funded Rotary Peace Fellowship, whichcovers tuition and living expenses, increases the capacity ofcurrent and emerging peace leaders to prevent and resolveconflict through academic training, field experience, andprofessional networking. Up to 100 fellows are selectedevery year in a globally competitive process based onpersonal, academic, and professional achievements.

The 2017-18 academic term deadline is 31 May 2016. Beginby watching our Application Checklist Video by clicking onthis link: http://vimeopro.com/rotary/rotary-peace-fellow-application-checklist and review the application processonline.

Please contact us at rotarypeacecenters@rotary.orgwith questions.

For full membership statsreport showing MembershipDistrict Progress reports clickon this link:http://www.highroadsolution.com/file_uploader2/files/comparison+to+start+figures+dec2015.pdf

ROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

09

Centennialpromotion kitavailable

Economic DevelopmentConference

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 20

MARK YOURCALENDARS

. ANNUAL DISTRICT 9350 CONFERENCESTELLENBSOCH 29- 30 APRIL • D9211 DISTRICT CONFERENCE & ASSEMBLY --ENTEBBE, UGANDA, MAY 04, 2016 – MAY 07, 2016

• D9212 DISTRICT CONFERENCE & ASSEMBLY, ADDISABABA, ETHIOPIA, 14TH – 16TH APRIL 2016 D9211

• RI SEOUL CONVENTION • RLI CONVENTIONBREAKFAST, SEOUL CONVENTION, JUNE 1ST 2016

ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL ROTARACT CONFERENCEKYOTO, JAPAN 18-21 MARCH 2016

UPCOMING ROTARY EVENTS

UPCOMING ROTARACT EVENTS

DO YOU KNOW OF AN EVENT WESHOULD ADD TO THIS LIST? EMAIL

US AT GEETA@MANEKNET.COM

When Carole Kimutai was growing up in Nairobi, family members were always coming for

long stays – a grandparent one month, a cousin the next. "Anyone who needed school fees

would come to Nairobi, and my parents would assist," she says. "Or if my grandmother was

sick, she would come to live with us until she was better. It was natural to help others." Years

later, Kimutai was invited to a meeting of the Rotary Club of Nairobi-East, where she

instantly felt at home. "I grew up seeing my parents help relatives, and now I am seeing

people help quote-unquote strangers," says Kimutai, the managing editor of a Kenyan news

website and 2014-15 club president. That realization led her all the way to the top of Mount

Kilimanjaro, which she and 38 other Rotarians and friends from District 9212 (Eritrea,

Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan) spent five days climbing in January. The team raised

$40,000 for polio eradication and local projects. Another benefit was the deep relationships

they developed with one another during their six months of training and subsequent

journey. "Here we were, these professional people with fancy titles, living in basic

accommodations, having dinner on plastic plates, using toilets in the bush," she says.

Months after coming back down the mountain, the climbers and their Rotary clubs still

enjoy those relationships. And Kimutai continues to cherish the memories of their time on

Kilimanjaro. "It reminded me of my childhood," she says happily. "So much sharing."

Issue 20 | 2016

SPOTLIGHTMEMBER OF THE MONTH

Photo credit: PDG Shirley Downie RI Image Coordinator: 2012/2016 –Southern Africa Zone 20A D9400: Council of Legislation Representative:

2016 and Health & Hunger

STORIES FROM AFRICA

SECOND MEDICAL CONVOYD2451: EGYPT

The second medical convoy organized by the Rotary Club ofRed Sea – El Gouna was held on Friday 19th February 2016,under the auspices of Red Sea Governor General AhmedAbdullah, Rotary District 2451 Governor 2015-16 Adel Hafez,and founder of El Gouna Engineer Samih Sawiris. Around200 patients, from the Bedouin communities, of the EasternDesert, were treated by volunteer doctors from ten specialtyareas of medicine. Patients began to arrive at 8 am; someafter travelling for two hours across the desert in four-wheeldrive vehicles.

16 student nurses from Gouna Technical Nursing Instituteand four instructors set up health assessment stations torecord patient’s details and medical history. They alsocarried out vital signs tests, blood pressure, height andweight, body mass index calculation and provided healtheducation to the patients. Pediatricians examined 27 casesof VSD, congenital heart disease, urinary tract infections,skin allergies, bronchial and eye allergies, and hearingdefects. Ophthalmologists dealt with near 30 patientssuffering from high pressure in the eye and also allergies.Internal Medicine doctors received around 30 patients withan average age of 20-30 years who were suffering mainlyfrom abdominal pain.

Several special cases included, a one-year old boy, who hadfallen into a camp-fire four months ago and his fingers hadcontracted and required plastic surgery. Other casesincluded complications after hernia repairs, and tumors andswellings on the nerve endings. There were 38 orthopediccases, mainly from elderly patients suffering fromosteoarthritis, and also young patients suffering back painfrom working too hard. The Dermatologist dealt withallergies and the Ear Nose and Throat doctor received over20 patients, two requiring follow-ups for a hearing aid, and atonsillectomy. In the temporary one-day dental surgery, thesound of drilling decayed teeth was constant! ThePharmacists did an amazing job handling over 200prescriptions and responded 100% to all the patientrequirements.

El Gouna Hospital sent the ICU Ambulance complete withElectrocardiogram and blood analysis unit and tests werecarried out for glucose and haemoglobin. Meanwhile, RotaryMembers were kept busy with the administration of patientrecords, and maintaining a flow of patients from thepreliminary checks to the correct doctor.

ROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

13

RC Red Sea El Gouna

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 20

STORIES FROM AFRICA

RANDOM THOUGHTS ONMEMBERSHIP

D9140: NIGERIA

So often, we hear: What is there for me? A question askedwhen there is a prospect we have the responsibility of“bringing into the flock” that is, into the world of Rotary.When are battling to “win them over”. In fact, any Rotarianwho has made some effort at bringing a new member intothe fold, must have been confronted with this reality – theprospect wants to know, as the saying goes, “What’s in it forme?” Even when the Rotarian would have seeminglyexhausted all known, time worn marketing tricks, especiallythose we’ve come to accept as the “game clinchers”, we stillfind in many cases that our prospect or “new memberdesignate”, is far from being won over!

But the above scenario only suggests in my view, one of twoor both of two things, viz:

1. Our tactics may have become obsolete and need tochange and2. Perhaps people have become more and more difficultwith the years, such that the Rotary brand has becomedifficult to sell.

Whatever the case, our marketing strategies, I think; need aserious review and overhaul. What sense or value is there tocontinue to sell Rotary to a prospective new member such“tantalizers” of the “great” prospect of international travels,which such person automatically gets, when he becomes amember of Rotary club? And we might just be talking to onemiddle-income earner in the community for whom theburden, financially, of such international travels might meana very reduced capacity to adequately cater for his family.Also, do not gloss over the fact that there are some, whohave a phobia for air or for that matter, long distance roadjourneys. So, confronted with this situation, where does ourhard working Rotarian stand? The truth is, as soon as we areperceived by our new member prospect to be ratherdesperate to “haul” him/her in, as it were, one thing iscertain – in the majority of cases, we’ve lost out.

As membership development chair for my Rotary club ofOsubi, RID 9140, in the immediate past Rotary Year,2014/2015, I devised a simple, customized invitation card ashere below:

ROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

13

By Rtn.Paul AgbrokoPast PresidentRC Osubi, AG Zone 11

Continue reading >

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 20

STORIES FROM AFRICA

RANDOM THOUGHTS ONMEMBERSHIP CONTINUED...

D9140: NIGERIA

My experience with the use of these New Member Invitation Cards (NMICs) is that it goes along way I influencing one in ten roughly, prospects to want to become a new member of aRotary club. However, club and district leadership saddled with the responsibility to bring innew members should consider a change of strategy in addition to the use of the NMICs. Theinspiration I have garnered for this thinking is the 2016/2017 Theme Address of the RIPresident – Elect John F. Germ.

In his Theme Address, RIPE John Germ said inter alia: The coming into Rotary of any newmember came with a Rotarian saying, “ I’d like to invite you to a meeting of my Rotary club”.See where the NMICs may come handy? And RIPE goes on “……………… I think every one of usrecognizes the opportunity to serve through Rotary for what it truly is: Not a smallopportunity, but a great one – the great opportunity that led all of us to the great enterprisethat is Rotary”.

This did set me thinking: How about in our inviting prospective we borrow from RIPE andmaking it clear to the prospect the great opportunity in Rotary – not a small one in any way;where the emphasis is on the fact that if the new entrant is kept positively engaged by theclub then his/ her efforts can be multiplied many times over, by the programs of Rotary. Thisto my mind follows in much the same way, the views of the MD/CEO of Revlon Cosmetics,who in an answer to an interviewer many years ago to the consternation of the interviewer,said that his company Revlon, sells promises and not cosmetics in the true sense of theword.

So, the emphasis here, just like in our new proposed strategy is that the new member uponusing the opportunity in the appropriate way, will do well for him/ herself and for the club. Inthe end, both Rotary and the world at large, will be happy ever after.

ROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

14

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 20

STORIES FROM AFRICA

ENVIRONMENTALSANITATION D9140: NIGERIA

In view of the health situation in the country and as one ofRotary's Six Areas of Focus, the Rotary Club of BeninMetropolitan in partnership with Oredo Local GovernmentArea, Edo State on Saturday 30/01/16 carried out the firstmonthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise for the year2016. Rotarians of Rotary Club of Benin Metropolitan led bythe Passionate President Rtn Donald Omorogbe and AGZone15, Andy Oiboh came out in their numbers and workedpassionately to ensure a clean, safe and healthyenvironment for all. The following media houses were onground to spread the good news of CLEANLINESS: NTA, AIT,ITV and EBS.

ROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

13

RC Benin Metro

RC PH Express

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 20

The Rotary Club of PH Express visited an orphanage homeas part of their humanitarian services for the year donatingdifferent items to support the inmates. They are also at thecompletion stage of the construction of a building at theRehabilitation home Iriebe Rivers state to add up to theexisting facilities.

ORPHANS VISIT

On Tuesday the 26th of January, 2016, the Rotary Club ofNnewi made a massive donation effort to two secondaryschools in Nnewi Metropolis. Each school got 3,000 Rotarybranded exercise books and 5 Rotary branded Whiteboards. The schools were Nnewi High School ( an all maleschool) and Maria Regina Secondary School ( an all femaleschool). Rotarians led by the President of the Club, RtnLotanna Nnadi, Past Presidents of the Club and other Clubleaders gave moving speeches to the Teachers andStudents of the schools on Rotary Ideals of 'Service aboveSelf' and being 'Gifts to the World'. The importance ofpromoting education and literacy as an avenue of service inRotary was well explained by Rotarians and appreciated byall present especially the students. Maria Regina SecondarySchool welcomed the Chartering of an Interact Club in theSchool. The process has been initiated and is underway.

SCHOOLS DONATION RC Nnewi

ROTARY THE WORLD OVER

KENYA SMILES: ROTARYFOUNDATION GRANT ANDROTARIAN ACTION GROUPS

PROJECTFOCUS:

ROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

21

We launched in 2011 the RotaryFoundation Global Grant KenyaSmiles. And for those who supportedit and funded it, including The RotaryFoundation, the good news is theproject continues to make adifference today by improving the oralhealth and nutritional education ofchildren, and not just in Kenya. Todate, about 16,500 people havedirectly benefited.

How did this happen?

Six years ago, The Rotary Foundation(TRF) realized its vision of a new andimproved grant model. What betterway to embrace the change than tobe a part of it? Thus, was born aproject involving all 71 Clubs inDistrict 5160 (Northern CentralCalifornia, USA), District 6150 (Centraland Northeast Arkansas, USA), District9212 (Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, andSouth Sudan), and the Rotary Club ofKaren-Nairobi. We were fortunatethat The Rotarian Magazine in August2013 and February 2014 as well asbreakout sessions at RotaryInternational Conventions in Sydney,São Paulo, and now Seoul recognizedthe project for its sustainability, how itbrought about awareness, providedinformation, and promotededucation. This helped boost supportand interest in the project, thuscontributing to its continued success.

Continue reading >

Kenya Smiles featured one of Rotary’s first Vocational TrainingTeams. A team of dental professionals, some of the best fromKenya, came to Northern California to learn and collaboratewith members of the dental profession. And a US team wentto Kenya to collaborate, teach, train, and educate. A big part ofthe project was getting the oral health and nutritionaleducation to the children in some of the poorest parts of thecountry. We took backpacks filled with dental care supplies tothousands of beautiful children in many parts Kenya. Kenyadentists and dental students provided exams and treatmentfor children using grant-sponsored equipment and supplies.Our Team also taught local dental students and providednutritional education for mothers and caregivers.

Vocational Training Team members, Kenya Rotarians,Rotaractors, and partners delivered oral health lessons andpresented backpacks filled with dental supplies, information,and “magic cups” to thousands of children in Kenya. Women inMukuru kwa Njenga Slum in Nairobi opened the Nutrition forLife Bakery after completing a grant funded Training programand receiving an energy-efficient oven and baking suppliesprovided by the Global Grant.

So what happens when the grant dollars are spent and asuccessful project might seem to have come to an end?

Well, a sustainable project does not end. And our timing wasgood because Rotary embraced the concept of Rotarian ActionGroups, and Kenya Smiles found a friend in the well-established World Health Fairs Rotarian Action Group(WHFRAG). Kenya Smiles and WHFRAG merged to create theHealth Education and Wellness Rotarian Action Group(HEWRAG). Its goal is to educate and to help bring good healthand wellness to people everywhere, not just Kenya. Briefly,what is a RAG? These are communities of Rotarians and otherinterested parties, who provide resources, conduct projects,fundraise and provide connections and collaborations.

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 20

By Laura DayRC Anderson USA

POLIO

POLO IMMUNIZATIONCONFERENCE

ROTARY IN AFRICA NEWSLETTER

21

On 24-25 February, the first-ever Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa broughttogether African leaders to reaffirm their commitment to reaching all children with life-savingvaccines. As one of the most cost-effective solutions in global health, with clear benefits for healthand development, vaccines avert an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths, every year. Universal accessto immunization is at the forefront of enabling Africa to reach its full potential – by improvinghealth, driving economic growth and empowering future generations and contribute towards theattainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Progress towards polio eradication in Africa is one of the incredible markers of the success ofvaccines. Africa has not reported a case of wild poliovirus since August 2014 and polio is no longerendemic in Nigeria – an enormous achievement that brings the region closer than ever to beingcertified polio-free, so long as we maintain momentum for the next two years. We are now overhalf way through the Decade of Vaccines; yet we are not on set to meet the goals that werecommitted to by Ministers of Health through the Global Vaccine Action Plan in 2011. Lack ofaccess to health services, a shortage of accurate information on vaccines and immunization,insufficient political and sustainable financing for immunization programmes and inadequatesupply of vaccines in some areas all have a role to play.

– - See more at: http://www.polioeradication.org/mediaroom/newsstories/African-Leaders-Gather-to-Recommit-to-Immunization-Goals/tabid/526/news/1350/Default.aspx#sthash.wxq2XLZE.dpuf

MA

RCH

20

16 |

ISSU

E 20