World Polio Day

Bangladesh has remained polio-free since 2006, but health advocates stress that continued vaccination and vigilance are essential to protect children from the potentially debilitating disease as polio persists in a handful of countries.

World Polio Day is observed on October 24 each year to raise awareness about the disease and renew global efforts to eradicate it.

Children are the future of a nation, and ensuring their health is a shared responsibility of families and the state. Immunisation begins early in life, with the polio vaccine among the essential vaccines administered to protect children against preventable diseases.

According to information from Rotary Bangladesh’s PolioPlus Committee, polio remains a threat in two countries, with around 100 children reportedly affected. The figure and its reporting period were not specified in the information provided.

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects young children. It can cause irreversible paralysis and, in severe cases, death. Although the disease has been eliminated from much of the world, the risk of transmission remains wherever the virus continues to circulate.

Bangladesh began its polio vaccination programme in 1979. Systematic efforts to eradicate the disease were subsequently strengthened through international, national, regional and subregional immunisation days, which began in 1995, according to the information provided.

Once a major public health threat worldwide, polio has been pushed back through extensive vaccination campaigns. However, health experts emphasise that sustained immunisation coverage is critical to prevent the virus from re-emerging in polio-free countries.

On World Polio Day, the message remains clear: ensuring that every child receives the recommended polio vaccine is essential to safeguarding public health and achieving a polio-free world.