Nominated MP Harold Kipchumba has been named the winner of the Distinguished Polio Advocacy Award for his efforts to eradicate polio and promote disability rights globally.
The news was confirmed through a statement seen by Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, October 14, in which the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy (RCWDA) recognised his persistence, courage, trust-building abilities, and commitment to protecting children from polio while promoting inclusion for marginalised communities.
“Nominated Member of Parliament Hon. Harold Kipchumba has been named the winner of the Distinguished Polio Advocacy Award by the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy (RCWDA). The award is in recognition of his commitment to polio eradication and disability rights,” the statement said in part.
Kipchumba, who represents persons with disabilities in the National Assembly, is a polio survivor who contracted the disease at around three to four years old.
An undated image of Nominated MP Harold Kipchumba in Parliament
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Parliament of Kenya
The infection left him with permanent paralysis of his lower limbs, causing lifelong mobility challenges that have shaped his advocacy for people living with disabilities.
On the ground, Kipchumba supports grassroots immunisation through county immunisation champions who educate families, strengthen community surveillance and encourage participation in door-to-door vaccination campaigns in high-risk areas.
He also promotes disability inclusion, urging families to support children with disabilities, while collaborating with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF Kenya and WHO on polio vaccination drives.
The award will be formally presented on October 24, during World Polio Day, an annual campaign that raises awareness of efforts to eliminate the disease worldwide.
The RCWDA is an international, cause-based Rotary e-club dedicated to disability rights, dignity, and inclusion, guided by the principle of ensuring that disabled people shape decisions that affect them.
Chartered by Rotary International on June 24, 2021, the club brings together more than 75 members across over 30 countries spanning six continents.
Its board represents 14 countries across four continents, while its work covers inclusive education, employment, accessible healthcare, human rights and efforts to challenge harmful attitudes towards disability.
Among the other figures honored alongside Kipchumba is Professor Michael Kossove from the U.S., a public health educator and medical microbiologist whose work has focused on post-polio syndrome.
Dr. Carles Fontcuberta Sarrau from Spain will also be honoured for his clinical advocacy, medical research, and publications addressing the needs of ageing polio survivors around the world.
Nominated MP Harold Kipchumba during a past Polio Eradication event.
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Daily Nation