Rotary’s work to end polio

Rotary has been working for more than 45 years to help rid the world of polio. It is one of Rotary’s most significant global projects, and it is something every Rotarian can be proud of.

Polio is a paralysing and potentially deadly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of five. While enormous progress has been made, the job is not yet finished. Rotary International notes that polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 per cent since Rotary became a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but continued effort is essential to keep other countries polio-free.

Rotary’s contribution has been practical, sustained and global. Through PolioPlus grants, advocacy and volunteer effort, Rotary has helped protect more than 3 billion children in 122 countries. In 2024 alone, 270 million children were vaccinated and 1 billion doses of oral polio vaccine were delivered.

Here in Ocean Grove, our Rotary members are proud to support this campaign. It is a clear example of Rotary’s motto of service above self: local people contributing to a global effort that benefits all people of the world. The campaign to end polio shows what can be achieved when clubs, members, governments, health workers and global partners remain committed over the long term.

Ending polio is about protecting children, strengthening public health systems and ensuring that future generations do not face a disease that can be stopped.

Rotarians in Ocean Grove, and across the world, can be proud of the part they have played and continue to play in this historic effort. The goal is clear: a world where no child is paralysed by polio again.

To learn more about Rotary’s work to end polio, visit Rotary International’s End Polio page: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/ending-polio