Polio Eradication
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
By Joe C. Mullinax

“We are THIS CLOSE to eradicating polio worldwide,” said Cindy Kelly, President of The Rotary Club of Spartanburg. “Over the years, The Rotary Club of Spartanburg has given over $200,000 to the Polio Plus Program through the Rotary Foundation to help end this terrible disease.”

Rotary International, its global health partners, and Rotary Clubs around South Carolina and the world will be observing World Polio Day on Sunday, October 24, 2021 to raise awareness and to help eradicate Polio once and for all! Make a donation to this important cause here: https://my.rotary.org/en/donate

What is Polio? Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a paralyzing and potentially fatal disease that still threatens children in some parts of the world. Poliovirus invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in hours. It can strike people of any age but mainly affects children under five. Polio can be prevented by vaccines, but it is not curable. Unlike most diseases, polio can be eradicated.

Rotary’s PolioPlus Program: In 1979, Rotary International, along with Rotary Clubs around the world, undertook an ambitious global effort to eradicate polio worldwide by vaccinating children on a massive scale. As a core partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), Rotary International and Rotarians around the world contributed more than $2.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.

Polio Today: When Rotary and its partners initiated PolioPlus, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. Today, we have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent, and just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Because of the efforts of Rotary International and its partners, nearly 19.4 million people who would otherwise have been paralyzed are walking, and more than 1.5 million people are alive who would otherwise have died. 

Rotary in Action: More than 1 million Rotary members have donated their time and money to eradicate polio, and every year, hundreds of members work with health workers to vaccinate children in countries affected by polio. Rotary members work with UNICEF and other partners to prepare and distribute informational materials for people in areas that are isolated by conflict, geography, or poverty.