Projects

A Rotary program...
1985:  350,000 cases annually 

2013:   406 cases, worldwide

2020:    2 cases, worldwide

At the time that Rotary formalised its eradication efforts by creating the PolioPlus program in 1985, polio was killing or paralysing more than 1,000 children per day.
Since then, thanks to Rotary and our partners, the world has seen polio cases plummet.  In the process, more than ten million children who would otherwise have been paralysed, and 250,000 children who would otherwise have died, have been spared these fates.

India — long considered a country where it would be simply impossible to eradicate the disease has not had a case since 13th January, 2011 and has been declared polio free.

After decades of hard work and tenacity, Rotary and our partners are on the brink of eradicating this shocking disease.  However the job is not done yet, serious risks remain and a strong push needs to be maintained to root it out once and for all. It really is a window of opportunity of historic proportions.

The polio cases represented by that final fraction of a percent are by far the most difficult and expensive to prevent.  Challenges include geographic isolation, worker fatigue, armed conflict, and cultural barriers.

That's why Rotarians continue to raise funds. To date, Rotary worldwide has contributed well over US$1.2 billion to the polio eradication effort.

Sierra Leone in West Africa, has suffered many years of civil war and political instability leaving this small but densely populated country in a destitute state with frightening child mortality and virtually no health care in rural areas. One in six infants die at birth and 282 children per thousand die under five years of age. Life expectancy is 34 years and one in six women die in childbirth. The main killers are Malaria, Diarrhoeal diseases, Respiratory disease, and Malnutrition.

Recently a stable government has implemented a highly successful peace keeping and disarmament program, rebuilding the economy and has had 90% of its foreign debt forgiven by the IMF and World Bank.

Dr Nuli Lemoh, born in Bo and a member of the Rotary Club of Turramurra and respected Sydney paediatrician, has carried a life-long dream to build a Children's Hospital in Bo, the largest rural city in his poverty stricken and war-torn homeland. The only children's hospital in Sierra Leone was in Freetown, four hours drive away.The city of Bo is vibrant and looking to clubs like ours to help build the basic infrastructure required to improve life expectancy. 

The vision for the Bo Children's Hospital project is: To treat, teach, train, to improve child survival and health.

The Turramurra Rotary Club raised initial funding for the project, working with the Rotary Club of Bo with strong support from local and overseas Rotary Clubs, Rotary International and International House at Sydney University. 

The Hospital project commenced in 2008, was completed in stages by 2011:purchase of 3 acres of land, construction of 21 bed hospital,to be increased to 60 beds, diagnostic facilities and short term treatment, operating theatre, health education, training and research unit. Its success is demonstrated by comparing the death rate of the 18,000 treated there of 5 in 1,000, to the death rate across the country of 165 in 1,000.                       

Turramurra Rotary continues to support the hospital with ongoing funding.

Attention is now turning to running the hospital: staff, furnishings, office equipment, medical equipment and medicines. Importantly, focus is also on health education and establishing a research unit  aimed at educating children and parents on nutrition and prevention of disease. When Covid-19 hit, the Sierra Leone government temporarily took over the hospital for victims of the pandemic. The staff were desperately short of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) so Turramurra Rotary Club donated $16,000 to provide for their safety. Fortunately the desperate need has passed and the hospital is operating again as a very successful Children's Hospital.

The Rotary Road to Gampong Anak

The tsunami of December 26th 2004 was the most catastrophic natural disaster of our lifetime. The epicentre of the earthquake was 100 Km offshore from Aceh which suffered the worst damage and greatest loss of life.

The Rotary Club of Turramurra, like many other Rotary Clubs and individuals world wide, desperately wanted to help the survivors. Then President Henk Landstra asked PP Ian Howden to form a committee and establish what Turramurra club could do. There were no guidelines or limitations for the committee, just use the Rotary network and do what you can.

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