World Polio Day: We're closer than ever to eradicating polio

The 24th of October marks World Polio Day, and because of Rotary International’s initiative to tackle 
global polio eradication the human race has never been this close to ending poliomyelitis (polio/ 
infantile paralysis).  A debilitating and potentially fatal disease which mainly affects children under the age of 5, polio has no cure but can be prevented through immunization.

Following the successful immunization of children against polio in the Philippines in 1979, Rotary International launched its PolioPlus program in 1985 to eradicate polio from the world through the mass vaccination of children. The organization's noble mission received the world’s attention and in 1988 the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was formed. This includes Rotary International, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and governments of the world.  As a part of this initiative Rotary International has focused on the areas of fundraising, awareness-building, advocacy and volunteer recruitment.

Since Rotary International launched its PolioPlus program in 1985, Rotarians have contributed nearly $1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to vaccinate more than 2.5 billion children against polio in 122 countries. In this year alone (September 2016) Rotary International has provided more than $12 million in grant funding to its Polio Eradication Initiative partners UNICEF and the World Health Organization, which work with the government and Rotary club members of polio-affected countries to plan and carry out immunization campaigns.  Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative the incidence of polio has dropped by 99.9 percent.

Today polio has been eradicated in all but three countries (Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan) mainly due to the work of Rotary International. Rotary clubs around the world continue to vaccinate children in poor countries, organize free health camps and polio awareness rallies as well as engage governments in those countries to take up the cause. 

There still remains 0.1 percent of polio cases in the world, and that percentage is the most difficult to eradicate due to factors such as geographical isolation, poor public infrastructure, cultural barriers and armed conflict. Not backing down Rotary International continues its fight to eradicate polio for good. 

The task of tackling the remaining 0.1 percent has been highlighted in Rotary International's ‘This Close’ campaign- a public awareness campaign to educate the public about polio.

The goal to eradicate polio from the face of the earth has never been closer, but according to experts $1.5 billion is urgently needed to sustain the progress made so far. Without full funding and political commitment this crippling disease could return to polio-free countries, putting every child at risk.

Polio is set to become the 2nd human disease ever to be eliminated from the world and as Rotaractors we have a duty to support Rotary International’s magnanimous undertaking.  We must support the final push to eradicate polio by building awareness via social media, by following Rotary International’s campaign to end polio on Facebook and Twitter, and by organizing events to raise funds which can be donated to the cause.

World Polio Day follows a succession of significant advances that have made 2016 one of the most important years in the history of the polio eradication movement. The fight against polio is everyone’s fight and so we must all join hands with Rotary International to eradicate polio from the world. 

                                                                             Written by:
                                                                       Rtr. Ruvini Meegolla