October 24 is marked as World Polio Day. It was in 1988 that the World Health Assembly began taking steps to eradicate this disease. There has been massive success achieved on that front up till now.
All on World Polio Day
World Polio Day is meant to create awareness about this disease and how to prevent it through regular vaccination in children.
According to UNICEF’s website, cases of polio – an untreatable but preventable disease – have fallen by 99.9 percent since 1988. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has saved, according to an estimate, 1.5 million children from the ailment, leading to savings of $27 billion in treatment costs.
The job is not finished. As UNICEF reports, the disease is still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, this still marks a huge fall from the 127 nations that struggled to contain polio when GPEI was launched.
This year, the number of polio cases recorded was just 188 in the first nine months. This is a major improvement considering that over 500 cases were recorded last year. However, in 2015, the number of cases had gone down to just 106. So, there is still room for growth.
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What is polio?
Polio, also known as poliomyelitis, is, as per the WHO’s website, “a life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus.” It “invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis.
Children below the age of five are most at risk from this disease, but anyone who has not been properly vaccinated is at risk of contracting polio.
The WHO’s website informs that in 1994, the organization’s Region of the Americas was declared polio-free. In 2000, the WHO Western Pacific Region achieved the same distinction. The WHO’s European Region followed suit two years later, while the agency’s South-East Asia Region – stretching from Indonesia to India – was certified polio-free in 2014.
In an impressive feat, even the war-torn region of Gaza has seen large-scale polio immunization. No polio cases have been reported in the area since March 5, 2025, UNICEF points out.
The massive success against the polio virus is one of the best examples of global action leading to palpable change.
FAQs:
Why is October 24 marked as World Polio Day?
October 24 is the birth anniversary of Dr. Jonas Salk, the American virologist who invented the polio vaccine in 1955.
What is the theme of World Polio Day?
The theme this year is ‘End Polio: Every Child, Every Vaccine, Everywhere.’
How to celebrate World Polio Day?
People can make donations to organizations fighting to eradicate polio. They can also try to create awareness on the issue by organizing social events, like walks, seminars and contests.
