World Polio Day 2025: History, Progress & Global Eradication Efforts

When Is World Polio Day 2025?

World Polio Day is observed annually on October 24th. In 2025, the world will come together once again to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk, the pioneering researcher who developed the first successful polio vaccine. This day serves as a reminder of the incredible progress made in the fight against polio and the work that still lies ahead to achieve global eradication.

What Is World Polio Day?

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that can cause paralysis, and eradicating it is crucial to ensure every child lives a life free from disability, a goal marked on World Polio Day. World Polio Day is an international observance dedicated to raising awareness about the widespread impact of polio and the ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease globally.

The day provides a platform for global health organisations, governments, and individuals to discuss the progress made, highlight the remaining challenges, and mobilise support for eradication efforts. This day honours the tireless contributions of health workers, volunteers, and partners who have been instrumental in making the world polio-free.

History of World Polio Day

The history of World Polio Day is deeply intertwined with the legacy of Dr. Jonas Salk, the scientist who developed the first successful polio vaccine. Established by Rotary International, a global humanitarian organisation dedicated to community service and health initiatives, this observance honours Dr Salk’s monumental contribution to public health.

Rotary, a leading force in the global fight against polio, launched its worldwide vaccination campaign in the late 20th century. This effort laid the groundwork for the creation of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, a partnership that continues to drive the mission to eradicate polio worldwide.

Theme for World Polio Day 2025

The World Polio Day 2025 theme is “End Polio: Every Child, Every Vaccine, Everywhere.” This theme highlights the urgent need to ensure that every child, in every corner of the world, receives the polio vaccine. It reinforces the message that global eradication of polio can only be achieved through sustained cooperation, commitment, and equitable access to vaccination for all. The theme serves as a reminder that no child should be left behind in the journey toward a polio-free world.

What Is Polio: Causes and Symptoms

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under the age of five. It is caused by the poliovirus, which invades the nervous system and can lead to permanent paralysis or even death if the respiratory muscles are affected.

Causes of Polio Virus Infection:

• Poliovirus infection: Caused by poliovirus, a member of the Enterovirus C species within the Picornaviridae family.
• Faecal-oral transmission: Through ingestion of food or water contaminated with the stool of an infected person.
• Poor sanitation and hygiene: It facilitates the spread of the virus.
• Close contact with an infected individual: The virus can spread easily when living or interacting in crowded or unhygienic conditions.
• Lack of immunisation: Unvaccinated children are at the highest risk of infection.

Symptoms of polio can include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Nausea
• Stiffness in the neck
• Pain or weakness in the limbs

In severe cases, polio can cause acute flaccid paralysis, sometimes affecting the diaphragm and throat muscles, leading to breathing or swallowing difficulties. It's important to note that there is no cure for polio, and prevention through polio vaccination awareness is the only way to protect against this disease.

How Does Polio Spread?

Polio spreads primarily through the faecal-oral route, often via contaminated food or water. It can also be transmitted by direct contact with an infected person. The virus is present in the faeces and oral secretions of infected individuals, making transmission more likely in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene practices.

Global Polio Eradication Efforts

Here are some key initiatives and strategies from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) effort, based on recent data:

• The Polio Eradication Strategy 2022–2026 (“Delivering on a Promise”) outlines five key objectives, including interrupting WPV (wild poliovirus) transmission in endemic countries, stopping vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) outbreaks, and ensuring high immunisation coverage everywhere.
• Use of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to address cVDPV2 outbreaks, aiming for a safer, more stable vaccine response.
• Strengthening surveillance systems, including environmental surveillance (e.g., sewage testing) alongside acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance to catch poliovirus circulation early.
• Focus on microplanning, community engagement, social mapping, and accountability at local and national levels, especially in endemic or high-risk areas.
• In polio-free countries, ensuring the infrastructure built for polio eradication (surveillance, trained workforce, vaccine delivery capacity) is sustained and repurposed to support broader immunisation and public health functions.

Progress in Fighting Polio

Here are some of the progress made in polio eradication:

• Since the launch of GPEI in 1988, wild poliovirus (WPV) cases globally have dropped by over 99%.
• Wild Poliovirus Type 2 was declared eradicated in 1999; Type 3 has not been detected anywhere since 2012.
• As of late 2024, Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries with endemic transmission of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1).
• In 2024, preliminary data indicated approximately 70–80 WPV1 cases in Pakistan and 20–25 in Afghanistan.
• Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) remains a challenge, with over 650 confirmed cases reported across nearly 40 countries from January 2023 to mid-2024.
• India achieved a major public health milestone by being declared polio-free in 2014 by the World Health Organisation (WHO), following three consecutive years with zero cases. This success was driven by extensive national immunisation campaigns like Pulse Polio, strong surveillance, and door-to-door vaccination efforts that reached over 170 million children annually.
• Despite eradication, India continues surveillance through the National Polio Surveillance Project (NPSP) to detect any re-imported or vaccine-derived strains early and maintain its polio-free status.
• Fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable countries bear a disproportionate burden: in 2023, 85% of children affected by polio lived in such settings.

Importance of Vaccination

Vaccination is the only reliable way to prevent polio. Both the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) have proven effective in preventing infection and transmission. Maintaining high vaccination rates is essential to establishing herd immunity and protecting communities from outbreaks. It's important to remember that polio can spread silently through asymptomatic carriers, making comprehensive polio vaccination awareness and coverage all the more critical.

Challenges in Polio Eradication

Despite tremendous progress, challenges remain in the fight against polio. Some of the challenges are:

• Vaccine hesitancy and misinformation continue to hinder eradication efforts.
• Logistical difficulties, political instability, and conflict affect polio vaccination awareness campaigns in certain regions.
• Outbreaks can occur when immunisation coverage lapses or when vaccine-derived poliovirus strains emerge in areas with low vaccination rates.
• Ensuring global access to vaccines and maintaining high immunisation rates requires ongoing, sustained commitment from governments, health organisations, and communities worldwide.

How to Participate in World Polio Day?

There are many ways to get involved and support the fight against polio on World Polio Day:

1. Donate to organisations like Rotary International and UNICEF, which are at the forefront of polio eradication efforts.
2. Host or participate in awareness events such as walks, runs, or educational seminars to spread awareness about the importance of polio eradication.
3. Promote vaccination by encouraging parents to vaccinate their children and sharing accurate information about polio prevention.
4. Volunteer with local or international health organisations that support polio eradication initiatives.

Global Organisations Working to End Polio

The fight against polio is a global collaborative effort. Key organisations leading the charge include:

• Rotary International: Instrumental in founding World Polio Day and the GPEI.
• World Health Organisation (WHO): Leads surveillance, strategy development, and outbreak response efforts.
• UNICEF: Coordinates vaccine delivery and advocacy initiatives.
• The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other national public health agencies also play crucial roles in the global response.

Conclusion

World Polio Day themes serve as a powerful reminder of the ongoing global fight against a preventable, life-threatening disease. While there is remarkable progress, you must remain vigilant and committed to the goal of eradication. Through continued vaccination, education, and international cooperation, you can create a future where no child lives in fear of polio.

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FAQs

1. When is World Polio Day celebrated?

World Polio Day is observed every year on 24th October, commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr. Jonas Salk, the scientist who developed the first successful polio vaccine.

2. Who started World Polio Day?

Rotary International established World Polio Day to honour Dr. Jonas Salk's contributions and promote the goal of global polio eradication.

3. How can I help prevent polio?

You can help prevent polio by ensuring children are vaccinated and supporting awareness and fundraising efforts. You can also volunteer with or donate to organisations focused on vaccination and education.

4. Is polio still a threat worldwide?

While polio is now exceedingly rare, it is not yet extinct. Endemic transmission persists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and sporadic outbreaks can occur elsewhere if vaccination coverage lapses.

5. What is the theme for World Polio Day 2025?

The theme for World Polio Day 2025 is “End Polio: Every Child, Every Vaccine, Everywhere.”

References

• https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-polio-day
• https://www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day
• https://www.cdc.gov/polio/what-is-polio/index.htm
• https://www.unicef.org/immunization/polio
• https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240031937
• https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7313a1.htm
• https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/85-cent-children-affected-polio-2023-lived-fragile-and-conflict-affected-countries?utm_source=chatgpt.com