One of the 6 Rotary Areas of Focus is Disease Prevention and Treatment.
Rotary’s top priority is the eradication of polio. Our Rotary Foundation was named the
“worlds” outstanding foundation for 2016 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. The
Judges cited PolioPlus as a major driver for its selection. Why, because of you!! You’re a very
very important part of Our Foundation receiving this honor. You are the PolioPlus fundraisers.
You are the advocates. You are the reason we will reach our goals this year. We will get the
job done!
Our members take on far greater responsibilities to fight numerous other diseases. They set up
health camps and training facilities in undeveloped countries and in communities struggling with
HIV/AIDS and malaria. They also design and build the infrastructure for doctors, nurses,
governments, and partners to reach the one in six people in the world who can’t afford to pay for
health care.
Disease prevention and treatment takes on many forms, from supporting studies to helping
immunize people, to improving drinking water and the sanitation infrastructure. The world relies
on Rotary to tackle these global challenges, and to set an example for others to follow.
In South Africa, 225 Rotary clubs participated at 160 sites; in Uganda, 65 clubs supported 120
sites; and across Lagos and Ogun states in southern Nigeria, 62 clubs supported 70 sites. Two
Rotary Foundation Global Grants provided funding to send vocational training teams to Uganda
and to pay for bed nets that will help prevent malaria in Nigeria.
Other efforts in this Area of Focus in our District include:
Dr. Anne Matthews along with Walter Hughes have worked on Grants for eliminating Guinea
worm disease. South Sudan has 96% of the victims of Guinea worm disease. They traveled to
South Sudan to build and encourage the team needed to finish Guinea worm eradication. It is led
by the South Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Program. The team is complete with non-profit
organizations, developmental partners, faith based organizations, churches like Catholic Relief
Services and Redwood United Methodist Church, medical professionals, the Rotary Foundation
and finally Rotarians. The Carter Center helps to fund water filters, education, medical care and
mobilizing community health workers.
Speaking Books, a project with The Rotary Club of Hilton Head showcased international
programs with UNICEF on End Polio Now, and Teen Suicide Prevention in South Africa, these
books educate with visual and audible information. The books can be used over and over again.
The Bluffton Rotary Club and the District Water Project provided clean water systems in Peru
and other areas, which is one of the best ways of fighting disease.
