October 24th is World Polio Day, an opportunity to recognize how far the world has come in fighting polio, but it also reestablishes that we cannot afford to stop short of eradicating this preventable disease. Echoing this message, Governor JB Pritzker proclaimed October 24, 2026 as World Polio Day in Illinois, recognizing Rotary International and its partners and encouraging continued commitment to ending polio worldwide. Since the global eradication campaign began in 1988, polio cases have declined by more than 99.9 percent. Wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Yet the final steps to eradicating polio from our globe have proven difficult. A July 2026 article in Nature warned that abandoning eradication efforts could lead to hundreds of thousands of new cases annually. Funding challenges and complacency threaten decades of progress.
Polio is a highly infectious disease that can cause permanent paralysis and death, particularly among children. Vaccination can prevent it, but as long as the virus circulates anywhere, no country is entirely beyond its reach. Eradication requires sustained immunization, disease surveillance, public education and international cooperation.
For more than 35 years, Rotary has been at the forefront of this effort. Its 1.2 million members worldwide continue to raise approximately $50 million annually for polio eradication. Working with global health partners and national governments, Rotary has helped protect children worldwide.
Here in Springfield, the Rotary Club of Springfield, Illinois, put this commitment into action. We partnered with Springfield Beer Company to implement our Club’s 2026 PolioPlus program. For every pint of Golden 95 Lager sold by the Springfield Beer Company between October 7-24, $1 will go toward the effort to eradicate polio. This local initiative gave our community a direct way to support a global cause.
We have come too far and invested too much to turn back now. Let us remain dedicated in our commitment to make polio the next great victory in global public healthcare.
John Webb
Rotary Club of Springfield, Illinois
Rotary Club of Springfield, Illinois