

In the October "Rotary" magazine there is a fascinating article (pp. 22-24) by Dr. Peter L. Salk, Dr. Jonas Salk's son and president of the Jonas Salk Legacy Foundation. (If you have a digital subscription to the magazine, you can see the article HERE.)
Use of this inactivated poliovirus vaccine and subsequent widespread use of the oral poliovirus vaccine developed by Albert Sabin led to establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988.
Since then, GPEI has reduced polio worldwide by 99 percent.
Every year on October 24th, we observe World Polio Day to raise awareness of the importance of polio vaccination to protect every child from this devastating disease, and to celebrate the many parents, professionals and volunteers whose contributions make polio eradication achievable.
To ensure a polio-free future for everyone, efforts must continue to maintain high immunization coverage, implement high-quality surveillance to detect any presence of the virus, and prepare to respond in the event of an outbreak.
As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary has helped reduce polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion, and countless volunteer hours, to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease.
Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. A case has just been detected in Gaza.
On Oct. 24, join experts from University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Rotary International who will provide a unique perspective on our mission to End Polio Now!
To register, CLICK HERE or scan code.
