Rotarians take a passage to India to give polio jabs

Farewell: Sheppey Rotarians,
from left Christina Logue,
Margo Bronger and Ray Seager 

CHARITABLE Sheppey residents have travelled halfway across the world to help protect children from a crippling disease.

Isle of Sheppey Rotary Club member Margo Bronger, vice president Christina Logue and Minster Rotary club president Ray Seager left for India from Minster Working Men's Club on Thursday afternoon.

The rotarians have volunteered to vaccinate youngsters in Karnal in northern India for National Immunisation Day.

It is the first time any of them had taken part in the immunisation drive, which is part of the End Polio Now campaign where 167 million children under 5 will be vaccinated in less than a week.

Thousands of vaccination booths were set up in Agra, Jaipur, Karnal and Dehli.

Christina, 64, who joined the Rotary club two years ago, said: "I felt I wanted to give a little bit extra help rather than just handing over money.

"When I heard about the volunteers helping to vaccinate the children and how much it means to be able to assist in eradicating this dreadful disease I wanted to experience it first-hand."

Christina saw the effects of polio when she was a school girl and another pupil contracted the disease. She said: "She spent what seemed to be an eternity in one of the great iron lungs and when she came back to school it was in callipers. It has always stuck with me, it is such a dreadful thing."

Fellow volunteer Margo, 70, took gifts for the children she vaccinates. Using donations from friends she bought 350 pencils with rubbers and 50 beanie toys.

It is also the first trip to India for National Immunisation Day for Ray, steward at Minster Working Men's Club.

Thanks to Rotary club help, two billion children have been vaccinated against polio, which can lead to paralysis, deformed limbs and a lifetime of pain. The number of countries where the disease is endemic has dropped from 129 to just four – Afghanistan, Northern India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

National Immunisation Days take place every six weeks in the endemic countries and Rotary clubs send members on self-funded trips each February and November.


By: Jim Palmer

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