Rotary International Marks 121 Years of Disease Prevention

Rotary International, celebrating its 121st anniversary, has significantly impacted disease prevention worldwide, particularly through its polio reduction efforts, which have decreased cases by 99%. Dr.

Joi Nky Okoro, the district governor of Rotary International District 9127, emphasized the organization's role in controlling disease outbreaks during the grand finale of the Rotary Day celebration. Despite global challenges such as the Great Depression and World War II, Rotary has continued to grow, establishing the United Nations Children's Agency (UNICEF) in 1945 and launching its polio program in 1985.

This program has successfully reduced polio cases worldwide by 99.9%, with only a few countries reporting infections. Rotary's initiatives also include disease surveillance and malaria prevention, with 1.4 million members across 200 countries working on various projects, including healthcare and humanitarian relief.

In Nigeria, Rotary operates six districts and 500 clubs, with Barr. Moham Adama serving as the chairperson of the Rotary District Advisory Committee (RODAC).