DISEASE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
The month of December is dedicated to Disease Prevention and Treatment and this can take on many forms. From supporting studies to helping immunize people to improving drinking water and the sanitation infrastructure, disease results in misery, pain, and poverty for millions of people worldwide. That’s why treating and preventing disease is so important to us”.
Rosa and I have already visited 63 out of the 83 clubs in our District and it has been a wonderful and humbling experience seeing the outstanding projects our Rotarians are doing in their communities in all the Areas of Focus. Our Rotarians are so warm and welcoming that our experience has always been special in every club we have visited and we are looking forward to visiting the remaining twenty clubs.
During our visits, Rotarians have told us of their activities. We have visited many of their projects where water filters have been distributed to allow the communities without clean water to have access to good drinking water, helping to prevent diseases such as cholera and other intestinal diseases due to contaminated water specifically in remote areas. Disease does not prevent itself and our Rotarians are educating and equipping communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases.
Sanitary blocs of latrines and flush toilets with water stations are being built in schools and in communities where none existed to create better sanitation conditions in those areas. They are promoting hand washing programs to improve the health and education of children in their communities and in schools.
Prevention is important, which is why many clubs also focus on health education and bringing people routine hearing, vision, and dental care, disease screening such as diabetes, high blood pressure, prostate cancer, PAP test for the prevention of cervical cancer. Rotarians are making this happen by partnering with other institutions organizing medical and dental fairs throughout our District. It is amazing what a difference Rotarians are making for people they serve!
Rotary members have played a key role in bringing the world to the brink of polio eradication and in our District not only have we contributed to Polio Plus through our club and personal donations, but in many cases Rotarians have travelled themselves to vaccinate children against this horrible disease.
I congratulate all of you who are already undertaking Disease Prevention and Treatment projects and I encourage all clubs to continue emphasizing this month with projects in this Area of Focus to protect our communities.
Through Service, let us make our clubs Grow Stronger -Serve Better and continue Making a Difference to improve the health of our communities.
Robert Leger
7020 District Governor
2017 - 2018