Did you know that polio can cause permanent paralysis and, in severe cases, death? This highly infectious disease primarily affects children under five, but anyone who is not fully vaccinated can be at risk.
The good news is that polio is preventable through vaccination!
Here in Trinidad and Tobago, we are part of a Caribbean region that has been certified free of wild poliovirus since 1994. This is a tremendous public health achievement, but it is not a reason to become complacent. As long as polio exists anywhere in the world, the risk of it returning remains.
But we are polio-free, why should we care?
Since 1988, Rotary International and its global partners have helped reduce polio cases worldwide by more than 99%. Through vaccination, advocacy and fundraising, Rotary continues to work towards a world where no child has to live with the devastating effects of this preventable disease.
What can we do here at home?
- Ensure that our children receive their recommended polio vaccinations through the public health system.
- Encourage family members and communities to rely on accurate health information and seek guidance from healthcare professionals.
- Support Rotary’s ongoing global efforts to eradicate polio completely.
- Help spread the message that vaccination protects not only individual children but also our wider communities.
On this World Polio Day, the Rotary Club of Central Port of Spain joins Rotarians around the world in renewing our commitment to a polio-free future.
We have made tremendous progress, but the job is not finished. Let us continue to protect our children, safeguard the gains we have made and help make history by ending polio for good!
End Polio Now! Create Lasting Impact!