What is World Polio Day?
Every year on 24 October, we observe World Polio Day to raise awareness of the importance of polio vaccination to protect every child from this devastating disease, and to celebrate the many parents, professionals and volunteers whose contributions make polio eradication achievable.
To ensure a polio-free future for everyone, efforts must continue to maintain high immunization coverage, implement high-quality surveillance to detect any presence of the virus, and prepare to respond in the event of an outbreak.
Where is wild polio virus (WPV) found?
WPV is still causing paralysis in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with 39 total cases so far this year. The 35 cases in Afghanistan is the most since 2020. Vaccine-derived cases can still be found in several countries, including Nigeria, the DRC, Chad, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
What is Rotary doing to End Polio Now?
Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 45 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.
Rotary's first polio project was to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. Inspired by that successful vaccination campaign, Rotary went on to become a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, which has reduced polio cases around the world by 99.9 percent.
Thanks to the generosity and commitment of our members, Rotary has contributed more than US$2.9 billion in PolioPlus grants and countless volunteer hours to protect more than 3 billion children in 122 countries from this disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $11 billion to the effort.
Where can you learn more about the effort to end polio worldwide?