Imagine a polio-free world. It is within reach. Vaccines are one of the marvels of science and medicine, and we mark World Polio Day on October 24 to commemorate the birthday of Jonas Salk, pioneer of the first effective polio vaccine. Established by Rotary International, the day is both a celebration of one of medicine’s greatest achievements and a reminder that the fight against polio is not over.
We are *this close* to eradicating polio, and we can’t slow down our efforts now.
Vaccines have transformed public health, and polio is one of the clearest examples of their impact. Many grandparents and older adults still remember a time when parents feared summertime polio outbreaks and children lined up for life-saving vaccinations. The devastation caused by polio is not ancient history. It was only a few generations ago.
For many young families today, polio is something they have never seen and may know little about. Yet in the mid-20th century, hundreds of thousands of people, most of them children, were infected every year. The virus killed, paralyzed, or permanently disabled countless children, often before they reached kindergarten.
Imagine a world where no child is ever paralyzed by polio. That world is within reach.
In 1988, Rotary International launched the PolioPlus program, helping spark a global effort to eradicate polio after the successful eradication of smallpox. Since then, global polio cases have decreased by more than 99%, making polio eradication one of the greatest public health success stories in history.
Today, wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. We are closer than ever to ending this disease for good, but the final steps are often the hardest. Sustaining high vaccination rates, supporting global immunization efforts, and ensuring equitable access to vaccines are essential to crossing the finish line.
On World Polio Day, we celebrate how far we have come and recommit to the work that remains. A polio-free world is possible, but only if we continue moving forward together.