World Immunization Week - 24-30 April - is a perfect opportunity for Rotary clubs to share the incredible progress we've made toward eradicating polio.
This year features significant anniversaries to celebrate:
- 10 years since the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region was certified free of polio.
- 30 years since the WHO Americas Region was certified as polio-free.
- 50 years since the launch of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, which ensures equitable access to vaccines (including polio vaccines)
As a Rotary member, you have a critical role in helping us achieve important milestones like these.
We know our work isn't done until we end polio forever. During World Immunization Week, help raise awareness about the fact that vaccines work and give us proof examples of what Rotary and our partners have accomplished in reducing polio cases worldwide.
Note from your editor. At least once a month, I go to Polio This Week to see where we are. When I went to the site yesterday, I was able to see that there have been four cases of Wild Polio Virus reported so far in 2024 - two in Pakistan and two in Afghanistan. In all of 2023, there were six cases reported in each of the same two countries. Having grown up when polio was epidemic in our country, I hope and pray I will live long enough to have the world declared polio-free. Your donations make a difference. PLEASE give something! It's really easy to set up affordable monthly recurring donations through your MY ROTARY account on the RI website.