Polio Plus: How, What, Why!!!

Why It Matters
Every child deserves the right to walk, run, and play without fear of paralysis.  Although polio is largely unknown in industrialized nations, it is a disease that still robs children of that right in other parts of the world. It is transmitted via contaminated water and food supplies, enters through a child’s mouth, and then multiplies in the throat and intestines. In a matter of hours, the poliovirus can enter the brain and spinal cord, destroying the cells that enable muscles to contract and causing paralysis. In 5% to 10% of cases, the child dies.  The good news is that polio is completely preventable. Since the virus cannot live long outside the human body, the proper immunization of children can not only prevent the disease, it can eradicate it by stopping transmission of the virus. Although polio currently circulates in only a few countries, it is a highly infectious disease and spreads rapidly. As long as polio threatens even one child anywhere in the world, children everywhere are at risk. Only the complete eradication of polio will ensure that no child ever again suffers polio’s cruel effects.

How We Achieve It
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is committed to achieving a polio-free world. Rotary is a spearheading partner in the GPEI, along with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also has as a priority the eradication of polio and is working closely with the GPEI. The goal of the initiative is the global certification of polio eradication. The GPEI works to accomplish this goal by pursuing the four pillars of eradication:

• Routine immunization – Immunization coverage of children in the first year of life, with at least three doses of the oral polio vaccine as part of national immunization schedules.
• Supplementary immunization activities – Mass immunization campaigns, known as National Immunization Days (NIDs) or supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) intended to complement – not replace – routine immunization. They interrupt circulation of the virus by immunizing children under five with two doses of oral polio vaccine, regardless of previous immunization status.
• Surveillance – Expert teams of virologists, epidemiologists, and doctors test stool samples to determine whether the poliovirus is present and from where it comes.
• Targeted mop-up campaigns – Door-to-door immunizations that are conducted in specific areas where the poliovirus is known to be present or is suspected of circulating. These are often areas with high population density, poor sanitation, or low routine immunization coverage.

Where We Are Today
Rotary became a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, at which time there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries. The Polio Global Eradication Initiative is a public-private partnership that includes Rotary International, Gates Foundation, World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations, and UNICEF. Polio is a paralyzing virus that is usually spread through contaminated water and is prevented through immunizations and by providing access to clean water. Our shared goal is to eradicate polio worldwide.

Since the founding of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary members around the world have contributed more than $2.1 billion to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries. In just the past 10 years, Rotary District 5170 Clubs have contributed $3,177,626. Rotary’s PolioPlus funds provide operational support, medical staff, laboratory equipment, and educational materials for health workers and parents. As a result of all these efforts and financial donations, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9% since 1988.

Each year, Rotary International works to raise $50,000,000 which Gates Foundation matches 2:1. Once again, during the 2024 -2025 Rotary year, we achieved  his goal. This ensures that 50 million children in hard-to-reach countries are protected each year from polio.

Today, we stand at the threshold of eradicating polio forever. But we must stay aware of the threat poliovirus continues to present. Polio is still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Since January 01, 2025, there have been 19 cases of paralytic polio in children living in these two countries. If we stopped our efforts today, we could see up to 200,000 children develop paralysis due to polio within 10 years.

October 24 is World Polio Day. Rotary clubs around the world take the opportunity to raise awareness about the need to continue to fight this virus until it is eradicated from the planet. This is our promise to the world’s children.

For questions or more information, please contact:

Cindy Murphy
District Polio Plus Committee Chair