Every year on October 24, the world celebrates World Polio Day to recognize the tremendous global progress against one of history’s most crippling diseases. On this day, health workers, volunteers, and Rotarians reaffirm their dedication to completely eradicating polio, ensuring that every child enjoys a safe and healthy future.
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children under five. It spreads through contaminated water or food, attacking the nervous system and sometimes causing irreversible paralysis within hours. While there is no cure, polio can be prevented through vaccination — making eradication both possible and essential.
When the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) began in 1988, more than 350,000 cases were reported annually in 125 countries. Since then, coordinated immunization campaigns and community awareness drives have reduced polio cases by over 99%, saving millions from paralysis and preventing billions in healthcare costs. Yet, experts warn that if eradication efforts lapse, the disease could reemerge and infect hundreds of thousands of children within a decade.
For more than four decades, Rotary International has been a key leader in the global fight against polio. The journey began in 1979, when Rotary funded the immunization of six million children in the Philippines under its Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Program. In 1985, Rotary launched PolioPlus, initially pledging $120 million to supply vaccines to high-risk countries. Rotarians exceeded expectations, raising $247 million by 1988 — the largest volunteer-driven fundraising effort of its kind.
That same year, Rotary co-founded the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To date, Rotary has contributed over $2.7 billion, helping immunize more than 2.5 billion children worldwide.
Thanks to these tireless efforts, polio remains endemic in only two countries — Pakistan and Afghanistan. India, declared polio-free in 2014, continues to vigilantly protect this achievement. The Rotary Club of Agartala City upholds this mission by organizing immunization support camps, awareness drives, and health education programs across Tripura, spreading Rotary’s global message: End Polio Now.