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24 October marks World Polio Day which aims to raise awareness, funds, and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today. 

Stemming from a Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988 launched by the Rotary international community, the illumination of buildings forms part of their ‘Purple 4 Polio’ campaign.

The eradication of polio is one of the organization’s longest standing and most significant efforts. Along with partners, they have helped immunize more than 2.5 billion children against polio in 122 countries and have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide.

With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners aim to sustain this progress to continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

Arbury Rotary Club have supported the campaign from the start and were happy to see the Council’s ongoing support, member Roger Coopey said:

“We are very grateful to the Council for supporting World Polio Day again this year by lighting up the Town Hall in purple and drawing attention to the Elimination of Polio campaign.

“The significance of Purple is that it is the colour put on a child’s finger to show that they have received the Polio vaccine. The number of cases of Wild Polio have reduced considerably so far this year but the campaign will continue until the disease has been eliminated.”