On World Polio Day, Rotary International reaffirms its decades-long support for Pakistan’s efforts to stop the spread of the wild poliovirus in the country – one of two worldwide where the virus remains endemic, along with Afghanistan.
Established by Rotary to honor Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the first safe and effective polio vaccine more than 70 years ago, World Polio Day is an opportunity to celebrate progress and renew commitment toward ending the disease every October 24th.
Rotary, the first organization to envision a polio-free world, helped found the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, when polio affected 350,000 children each year in 125 countries. Today, thanks to Rotary and its GPEI partners, polio cases have fallen by more than 99.9 percent, sparing more than 20 million people from paralysis.
“We have contributed more than US$3 billion—including US$1.3 million from Rotary members in Pakistan–and invested more than half a billion of these funds and countless volunteer hours to protect over 45 million children in Pakistan from this paralyzing disease,” said Rotary International President Olayinka Hakeem Babalola who helped lead eradication efforts in Nigeria on Africa’s road to wild poliovirus-free certification in 2020. “Africa’s achievement demonstrates that with collaboration and political and financial support, ending polio in Pakistan and eradicating it globally is possible.”
Rotary members also advocate for government support and raise awareness around polio immunization, a critical function in Pakistan given that vaccine refusals remain an obstacle to reaching every child.
“Pakistan is demonstrating strong progress with only a handful of reported cases this year, and in order to safeguard our credibility and maintain trust, we are continuing to address other community needs,” said Aziz Memon, chair of Rotary’s Pakistan National PolioPlus Committee. “For example, the Committee has helped establish water filtration plants across Pakistan, resource centers to bond with the community, team support centers to facilitate frontline workers, and permanent transit posts to cover children in transit.”
While Rotary and its GPEI partners have the tools and expertise to end polio for good, it’s crucial that polio eradication remains a top priority for governments, donors, and partners. Visit endpolio.org to learn more.
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