Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a paralyzing and potentially deadly infectious disease. It most commonly affects children under the age of five. The virus spreads from person to person, typically through contaminated water, and can attack the nervous system.

There is no cure for polio, but it is preventable through vaccination. That is why Rotary members have remained focused on immunization, advocacy, fundraising, and public awareness for more than four decades.

Rotary launched PolioPlus in 1985 and became a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. At that time, polio paralyzed an estimated 350,000 children every year across 125 countries.

Why does this still matter?

Polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As long as polio exists anywhere, children everywhere remain at risk. If eradication efforts stopped, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year within 10 years.

Rotary’s commitment to ending polio includes vaccination support, fundraising, public education, and advocacy. Advocacy helps keep polio eradication visible with governments, institutions, and partners whose continued support is essential to finishing the job.

In Canada, Rotary members have continued to gather with public officials and partner organizations to reinforce the importance of sustained support for polio eradication.

The work continues because eradication requires persistence. Rotary members help sustain momentum by raising awareness, encouraging donations, and supporting the partnerships needed to reach children wherever the virus still circulates.

These efforts connect local Rotary action to a global public health goal: a world in which no child is at risk of polio.

The “plus” in PolioPlus represents additional support provided as part of polio eradication campaigns. Rotary describes this support as including access to water, additional medical treatment such as vitamin A drops, bed nets, soap, and other community-based health services.

PolioPlus is not only about stopping one disease. The program also supports public health work in vulnerable communities, including disease prevention, surveillance, and services that help health workers reach children.

Rotary’s work to end polio is global, but the support comes from local communities. Rotary members advocate, donate, educate, and create fundraising opportunities that help keep the promise of a polio-free world within reach.

Events like Pickleball for Polio show how fellowship and service often work together in Rotary. A local gathering can support a global goal, while also helping more people understand why the fight against polio continues. 

Learn More: Rotary Voices Podcast

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