Within Rotary, October is the month our attention is turned most closely to polio.
While polio eradication is our number one priority, World Polio Day on October 24 is a time for reflection and renewed focus on this important task.
Thanks to generous Rotarians such as yourself, global efforts to eradicate polio have continued during an ongoing global pandemic and in the midst of conflict in Afghanistan. Despite these challenges, so far this calendar year, only two cases of wild poliovirus have been reported — one in Afghanistan and one in Pakistan — compared to 116 last year (as of 28 September 2021). There has also been a significant reduction of wild poliovirus detected in the environment and a decline in cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV), which occur when the live, weakened virus used in the oral polio vaccine circulates in under-immunized communities.
Given your interest in eradicating polio, I wanted to make sure you saw the article in the October Rotary where the World Health Organization’s (WHO) polio chief shared his optimistic perspective of the challenges and unique opportunities facing polio eradication today – The Best Chance to Eradicate Polio is Now.
As we approach World Polio Day on 24 October, Rotarians around the world will be hosting local events, participating in fundraisers, and sharing the importance of polio eradication. Thank you for the role that you’ve played in our collective effort to eradicate polio.
Together, Rotarians are working to help improve health outcomes for children wherever they live, so that no one has to deal with this devastating disease ever again.