Rotary Clubs around the world are marking Oct. 24 as World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds, and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.
When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative more than three decades ago, polio paralyzed 1,000 children every day. Great progress against the disease has been made since then.
Most recently, the World Health Organization on Aug. 25, 2020, announced transmission of the wild poliovirus has officially been stopped in all 47 countries of its African region. The certification that the African region is free of wild poliovirus follows the independent Africa Regional Certification Commission conducting thorough field verifications in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nigeria, and South Sudan. The last cases in the African regions were recorded in Nigeria’s northern state of Borfno in August 2016.
Wild poliovirus is still endemic in two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Rotarians remain committed to the end.
With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners are working to sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.
Rotary International has committed to raising US $50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.
The Rotary Club of Jefferson donates annually to Rotary International’s End Polio campaign with a portion of the proceeds from its annual charity auction. Many local Rotarians also make personal donations.
To learn more about Rotary and the fight to eradicate polio, visit endpolio.org.
