We commit to immunizing every child

Every year, October 24 is observed as World Polio Day to raise awareness of the importance of polio vaccination and its role in protecting every child from this devastating disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) also observes this day as a tribute to the efforts of parents, professionals and volunteers who have contributed to the eradication of polio in most countries of the world. However, polio remains endemic in countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nepal was declared polio-free by WHO in 2014.

In the early 20th century, polio was one of the most devastating diseases in industrialized countries, paralyzing hundreds of thousands of children every year. In the 1950s and 1960s, effective polio vaccines were introduced, quickly bringing the disease under control and ultimately eliminating it as a public health threat in these countries. However, in developing countries it took longer to recognize the prevalence of the disease. In the 1970s, studies showed that polio was also widespread in these regions. As a result, routine immunization programs were introduced throughout the world as part of national vaccination efforts, which helped control the disease in many developing countries.

Polio Eradication Initiative

In 1988, the World Health Assembly committed to eradicating polio by launching the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). These efforts were initiated by national governments, WHO, Rotary International (RI), the US CDC, UNICEF, and were later joined by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Since then, many organizations and individuals around the world have contributed to this initiative. Since 1988, the number of cases of wild poliovirus has fallen by more than 99 percent, dropping from approximately 350,000 cases in more than 125 countries to just 12 reported cases in 2023. Of the three strains of wild poliovirus—types 1, 2, and 3—type 2 was eradicated in 1999 and type 3 in 2020. As of 2024, wild poliovirus type 1 remains endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In 2024, 39 cases of polio were reported in Pakistan, of which two new cases were reported on October 20 from Sindh itself. Just a day earlier, four cases were reported, according to the Regional Polio Eradication Reference Laboratory in Islamabad. Of the 39 cases, 20 were from Balochistan, 12 from Sindh, five from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. Thus, it is clear that cases of polio are still observed in both rural and urban areas, in remote and central areas.

Rotary International, a global non-governmental organization (NGO) based in the United States, has played a critical role in this fight. Since its inception, Rotary has supported a variety of social causes, including health care, education and social enterprise. On September 29, 1979, Rotary’s efforts led to the introduction of the first polio vaccine in Manila, Philippines, through the Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) grant project. The project immunized six million children against polio at a cost of approximately $760,000. Its success made polio eradication a top priority for Rotary, which launched PolioPlus in 1985. Rotary also co-founded the GPEI in 1988, launching the End Polio campaign. Since then, RI and its partners have administered oral polio vaccine to more than 2.5 billion children worldwide. Rotary District 3292, covering Nepal and Bhutan, is actively supporting governments in those two countries in their efforts to eradicate the disease.

Nepal was declared polio-free by WHO in 2014 after maintaining this status for three consecutive years. However, in July 2024, Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population (MoPH) announced the discovery of poliovirus in sewage and river water samples, although no clinical cases were reported. This has raised concerns among government and health officials, prompting measures to prevent a resurgence of the disease. Polio is a life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus, and the vaccination campaign has been intensified to prevent any threat to public health. It is highly contagious, primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route, and can be spread through contaminated food and water.

Symptoms usually appear within seven to ten days, but can vary from four to 35 days. Early symptoms include fever, vomiting, fatigue, headache, neck stiffness and limb pain. In severe cases, polio can cause permanent paralysis, usually of the lower extremities, and five to ten percent of paralyzed patients die from respiratory failure. The Government of Nepal has achieved effective results in eradicating polio through the use of oral polio vaccines (OPV), which are widely used throughout the world. Government health posts and hospitals continue to raise awareness and provide OPV to children under five years of age to ensure that no one is left unvaccinated.

Public awareness

Although poliovirus has resurfaced in sewage in the Kathmandu Valley, WHO has assured the public that there is no immediate threat as no human cases have occurred. However, the government, in collaboration with UNICEF and WHO, has resumed the vaccination drive for all children under five years of age in the Kathmandu Valley, including Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur municipalities. It is critical to raise public awareness that vaccinated children can shed poliovirus in their feces, creating a risk of transmission to others. Proper disposal of excrement is critical to prevent further spread.

On the occasion of World Polio Day, the awareness campaign will again receive special attention across the world, including in Nepal. In the Kathmandu Valley, the bike ride will be organized by the Ministry of Health, Rotary District 3292 and the Nepal Bicycle Association, and similar programs will be held across the country. It is imperative to increase awareness and vigilance to ensure Nepal remains polio-free forever. However, efforts now need to be stepped up in Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure the endemic disease is eradicated there too.

(Sharma is a senior journalist and women’s rights advocate. [email protected], Twitter handle: @NamrataSharmaP)