Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest Thamma Reddy Bharadwaj, film producer and director urged people to extent support to Polio Immunisation Drive that takes place across the country twice a year to see that Polio virus doesn’t come back.
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He also unveiled a Postal Stamp brought out by eminent philatelist Valmiki Hari Kishan under “My Stamp Category” with a slogan “Keep India Polio Free” on it to commemorate the occasion.
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Later Thammareddy also launched an Exhibition on World Polio through Philately organised by Philatelist Valmiki Hari Kishan, Assistant Governor of Rotary International.
The Philately exhibition featured 300 postal stamps issued in 122 countries highlighting various aspects of Polio Virus, it’s progress and eradication.
The speakers — Past District Governor Sambasiva Rao; Rotary District 3150 Governor J. Abraham, Valmiki Hari Kishan, Assistant Governor; Padmasri Dr Manjula Anaghani and Som dutt Sharma, President of Rotary Club of Hyderabad Deccan who spoke on the occasion said in one voice “End Polio Now” and “Continue to keep India, a Polio Free Country”
Polio was a menace. Nearly three lakh Polio cases used to be reported until recently. Half of which used to be from India and in that half used to be reported from Bihar and UP in India. Thanks to Rotary Foundation, WHO and Bill & Melinda Foundation, Polio is eradicated from all most all countries except Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
Only 12 cases of polio 5 from Pakistan, 7 from Afghanistan and zero cases from Nigeria are reported. We are confident of elimination of Polio from the world very soon, informed Valmiki Hari Kishan.
We give free polio drops to 17 crore kids every year twice informed Abraham.
“Polio is not over, until it is over” said Sambashiva Rao
Why we are continuing Polio even after India is free from it is to see that the virus doesn’t surface again. That is Polio Immunisation Drive is on twice a year to see that the virus doesn’t surface again Sambashiva Rao informed.
All the 122 countries where Rotary is active, World Polio Days is celebrated every year on October 24.
