Statue commemorates smallpox eradication
Summary: A statue commemorating the 30th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox is being unveiled today in front of the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan.Prior to eradication, smallpox epidemics were common in many countries, leaving death, blindness and disfigurement behind.
Key points
- A statue commemorating the 30th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox is being unveiled today in front of the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan.Prior to eradication, smallpox epidemics were common in many countries, leaving death, blindness and disfigurement behind.
- The eradication of this devastating, infectious disease has been called one of the greatest achievements in public health.A reminder of the value of smallpox eradication"The eradication of smallpox shows that with strong mutual resolve, teamwork and an international spirit of solidarity, ambitious global public health goals can be attained," says Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General, WHO."The statue stands as a reminder of the significance of such an achievement, and shows the power of international health cooperation to do great and lasting good."The cast bronze and stone statue depicts four persons, one of whom is a girl about to be vaccinated in the arm.
- The statue pays homage to all those who were involved in the eradication drive, including governments, health care workers, donor agencies, non-governmental organizations, commercial firms, and village leaders who supported the vaccination of their residents and provided food and shelter on many occasions to vaccination teams.Plaques surrounding the statue, written in the six official languages of WHO, state that this victory was made possible by all nations working together.Smallpox eradication "stimulated us all to reflect not only on the eradication of one disease, but on how this experience can help us to attack more effectively other health problems with the same enthusiasm, optimism and sheer hard work that characterized the successful crusade against smallpox," wrote Dr Halfdan Mahler, former Director-General, on the occasion of the signing of the document in 1980 that declared that smallpox had been eradicated."The statue's focus is on the health worker...
A statue commemorating the 30th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox is being unveiled today in front of the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan.Prior to eradication, smallpox epidemics were common in many countries, leaving death, blindness and disfigurement behind. The eradication of this devastating, infectious disease has been called one of the greatest achievements in public health.A reminder of the value of smallpox eradication"The eradication of smallpox shows that with strong mutual resolve, teamwork and an international spirit of solidarity, ambitious global public health goals can be attained," says Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General, WHO."The statue stands as a reminder of the significance of such an achievement, and shows the power of international health cooperation to do great and lasting good."The cast bronze and stone statue depicts four persons, one of whom is a girl about to be vaccinated in the arm. The statue pays homage to all those who were involved in the eradication drive, including governments, health care workers, donor agencies, non-governmental organizations, commercial firms, and village leaders who supported the vaccination of their residents and provided food and shelter on many occasions to vaccination teams.Plaques surrounding the statue, written in the six official languages of WHO, state that this victory was made possible by all nations working together.Smallpox eradication "stimulated us all to reflect not only on the eradication of one disease, but on how this experience can help us to attack more effectively other health problems with the same enthusiasm, optimism and sheer hard work that characterized the successful crusade against smallpox," wrote Dr Halfdan Mahler, former Director-General, on the occasion of the signing of the document in 1980 that declared that smallpox had been eradicated."The statue's focus is on the health worker...
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