World Polio Day unites Rotarians, public health advocates, and everyone else who envisions a world free from polio.  It is a time for us to come together recognizing and honoring our progress in the fight to end polio.  And it is a time to commit to the actions we must take now and end Polio forever, worldwide.

Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious viral disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5 years.  Typically the virus spreads person to person through contaminated water.  It can attack the nervous system and, in some instances, lead to permanent paralysis.

At this moment, there is no cure for Polio; however, there is a safe and effective vaccine that Rotary International, along with our partners in the global Polio Eradication Initiative, uses to immunize over 2.5 billion children worldwide.   These partners include UNICEF, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and governments around the globe.

The only way to end Polio forever requires that all the people in the world work in unison to fight this virus.   Our current situation, (limiting the polio virus inside just 2 countries - Afghanistan and Pakistan) is a tremendous achievement. This unique achievement further validates what is possible when everyone unites to fight our common health dangers.

World Polio Day is celebrated around the world to remind all of us just how far we’ve come in fighting this disease.  It was created in 1988.

Please honor World Polio Day 2023 on October 24 and recognize that Polio is still only one plane ride away from all of us and our families.   You can support our efforts by advocating, fundraising and educating everyone you know continually until Polio, in all forms, is eradicated from this earth.

This year, Rotary International’s quest is to find 12.5 million unvaccinated children around the world and immunize them.  Here are some action steps you can take with us on our mission.

• Learn – Inform yourself and make polio a topic of conversation in your community.
• Share - While most people have heard of Polio, few know how the disease affect children worldwide.  You can tell them.
• Donate – Help Rotary International obtain the vaccines, transportation and materials needed in the fight against Polio.  A Polio free world is possible only if we all take action together. 1)  Donate to@End Polio Now on #WorldPolioDay and it will be matched $2 to $1; 2) Triple your impact: Donate at Donate to End Polio | End Polio; 3) You may also make your donations directly on line at My Rotary.org – Polio plus Fund or through your Club and Foundation Chair.