Rotary, Coca Cola To Prevent AIDS

The Rotary International says it is working in collaboration with the Coca Cola Bottling Company to ensure that the dreaded Syndrome disease, the Acquired Immuned Deficiency (AIDS) is prevented in the African continent.

Its International President, Kalyan Banerjee, who stated this in an interview with newsmen at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa said that apart from its traditional assignment of eradicating polio in all parts of the world, the Rotary is working on a programme that will afford clean and safe water for mankind the world over.

He said: “Although our attention should not be taken away from polio, we are focusing on AIDS in Africa and already we are working together with Coca Cola to prevent it in South Africa and Tanzania and working on clean and safe water”.

According to him, Rotary has spent more than one billion dollars on the eradication of polio, pointing out that Nigeria now has few cases of polio and hoped that by 2012, it will be totally wiped out.

“We are trying to see how we can help Nigeria eradicate polio and we want to see how we can complete the job as quickly as possible. We are confident that before the end of 2012, we will achieve it. I know that in this area, you’re already got rid of polio but we want to see how we can take it to other places”, Benerjee said.

He reiterated Rotary’s preparedness to support Nigerian government in its developmental needs, adding that the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt is very active in working with youths as a step towards solving the problem of unemployment and creation of more enterprises.

His words: “If Rotarians can help the Rotaracts in the young generation to start their own businesses and carry it to everywhere, I think the issue of unemployment will be reduced. Rotary is into that area trying to solve such problems”.

Banerjee advised local Rotarians to come out with programmes that can be supported internationally and pointed out that polio vaccines are available at all times.

Shedie Okpara