Students helping Afghan children get immunized
Published Saturday October 24th, 2009
Molly Agar is only 10 years old, but the Grade 5 Park Street School student will be saving lives this week.
Molly and her classmates at the elementary school are helping Rotary International in its attempt to eradicate polio.
With a $2 donation, Molly can afford to pay for a child in Afghanistan to be vaccinated. She hopes with the assistance of her friends, family and fellow students at other schools in the city, she can make a difference in the lives of thousands in the Third World country.
"It's not fair that we are safe from this terrible disease just because we live in Canada and have access to the vaccine," Molly said. "Children in Afghanistan and other countries should have the same protection."
Park Street School, New Maryland Elementary and Kingsclear First Nation plan to work with the Fredericton North Rotary Club and Canadian Forces Base Gagetown on the polio-eradication campaign called Purple Pinkies for Polio.
Their efforts are being focused on Afghanistan.
"It's called Purple Pinkies for Polio because when a child is vaccinated, their pinkie is dyed purple so that health officials don't waste any of the vaccine," said John Bowles, spokesman for the Rotary club. "Unfortunately, many Afghan children still haven't been vaccinated against the disease."
In 1985, there were 350,000 polio cases in 125 countries.
Today, Afghanistan is one of only four remaining polio-endemic countries. The others are Nigeria, Pakistan and India.
"Less than 50 years ago polio was rampant in Fredericton and a whole wing at the Victoria Public Hospital was dedicated to accommodating polio victims," Bowles said. "There is still no cure for this disease that not only paralyzes, but also affects the brain, causing breathing difficulty or even death. But this vaccination has basically stamped it out in much of the world. Our hope, with the help of schools like Park Street and the base, is to eradicate polio completely by vaccinating all children."
Today is World Polio Day. It marks the 95th anniversary of the birth of Jonas Salk, the developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine.
Organizations such as Rotary International, the World Health Organization and UNICEF have made great strides in vaccinating children against the disease. But despite their efforts, about 100,000 Afghan children still haven't been vaccinated.
CFB Gagetown Warrant Officer Linda White spent six months working with children and families in Afghanistan.
She said most are unable to reach health facilities due to poverty, fear of attacks or long distances between health centres.
But campaigns such as the one being carried out by Rotary International can help, she said.
"Polio is a big problem in Afghanistan," White told Park Street students during an assembly Friday.
"Afghanistan is a very poor country and daily life can be a struggle for children there, but you can help. Just one toonie can immunize one child in Afghanistan. You can save lives."
Students at Park Street School, Kingsclear First Nation and New Maryland Elementary plan to participate in the Rotary club's campaign for the next three to four weeks.
The money they raise will go to Rotary International for its vaccination program.
"I think what our school and the other schools and organizations are doing is good," Molly said.
"To us, it's just a little bit of money and only a little bit of help, but to people in Afghanistan it's a big deal and a big help. There's no reason why we can't get them the vaccine. All we need to do is work together and we can make sure no children ever have to get polio."
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