World Polio Day is commemorated every year on October 24. Most know poliomyelitis as the poliovirus. It is a highly contagious viral disease primarily impacting children under the age of five. The causative agent, the poliovirus, is transmitted through person-to-person contact, predominantly through contact with an infected person's feces or droplets from their cough or sneeze. Less commonly, it can be spread through a shared source, such as contaminated water or food. Once the virus enters the body, it replicates in the intestines. From there, it can breach the nervous system, potentially leading to paralysis.
The symptoms of polio can vary widely. In most cases, polio is asymptomatic, meaning it shows no visible symptoms. However, a small percentage of those infected can experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs. In severe cases, the virus attacks the motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness and acute flaccid paralysis, which can result in permanent disability or even death.
Prevention of polio is primarily through vaccination. The polio vaccine is highly effective and has led to a significant decrease in polio cases worldwide. There are two types of vaccines available: the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), administered through injection, and the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), which is given orally. Global immunization efforts, spearheaded by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), have brought the world closer to eradicating polio, with only a few countries reporting endemic cases today.
Despite these advances, it is critical to maintain high vaccination coverage to prevent outbreaks, especially in areas with poor sanitation and health infrastructure. Continued surveillance and rapid response to outbreaks are essential to protect communities from this debilitating disease and move closer to global eradication (WHO).
Through a united effort with the World Health Organization, the US Centers or Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, and later the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, Rotarians through Rotary International have been key in decreasing the world polio cases by over 99% since 1998. The World Health Organization reports that of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus (type 1, type 2, and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2 was eradicated in 1999 and wild poliovirus type 3 was eradicated in 2020. As of 2022, endemic wild poliovirus type 1 remains in two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan (WHO).
For more information about Rotary's End Polio Now cause and Rotary's history in polio eradication, click this link.
In support of this effort, the Rotary Club of South Hilo will be holding a fundraiser at their meeting on October 22, 2024 called "Puto for Polio." Puto (Filipino steamed rice cakes) will be sold for $20 per bag to those in attendance. All proceeds will be donated to Rotary International.
