End of Polio: A Global Effort to End Disease

by United Nations

An inspirational account of the global initiative to eliminate the scourge of polio offers one hundred stunning duotone photographs that capture the campaign in five polio endemic nations--Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan. Simultaneous. 15,000 first printing.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

From http://www.un.org/en/aboutun/index.sh...

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

Due to its unique international character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, the Organization can take action on a wide range of issues, and provide a forum for its 193 Member States to express their views, through the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees.

The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes) affect our lives and make the world a better place. The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, from sustainable development, environment and refugees protection, disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to promoting democracy, human rights, gender equality and the advancement of women, governance, economic and social development and international health, clearing landmines, expanding food production, and more, in order to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future generations.

The UN has 4 main purposes:

* To keep peace throughout the world;
* To develop friendly relations among nations;
* To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms;
* To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a Smithsonian article about Sebastiao Salgado and have since been interested in learning more about his work - I watched most of the documentary on his life and have requested a few of the books from his photography projects. This one, The End of Polio, was to first to come in at the library. I loved the pairing of photographs with short essays from workers in that area of the world, and truly learned a lot about the polio eradication effort. Having grown up in the U.S., polio has always felt like one of those diseases that just isn't a risk and I never really thought much more about it. It was fascinating to learn how recently polio has been eradicated in other areas of the world, and how, despite the goal of a confirmed polio-free globe in 2005, how we are still fighting it today (this last bit, of course, gleaned from the internet, as the book was published in 2002 when the efforts looked like they were on track). It's amazing to think about how big of an effort this was, and how little people know of it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A handsome book, and the gentlest I've seen of his work. Follows the "cold chain" supply system developed in 1952 to convey vaccines from refrigeration through UN small planes to insulated boxes carried by motorcycle & on food through Africa and South Asia to be administered by trained volunteers, handing off to trained members of another clan when needed if people will only accept it from their own. Also illustrates life and coping skills of children crippled by polio, laughing usually and engaged in their world. Too bad the near-eradication slipped from our grasp in the decade since.

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent account of the efforts of WHO, UNICEF, Rotary and other international organizations to eradicate polio worldwide. Many participants contributed essays and the book is filled with the sublime black and white photos of Sebastiao Salgado. I highly recommend this!

[Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This book is dedicated to all those who courageously live with polio, as well as to all the health workers who so lovingly help them while working to eliminate the disease."