On World Polio Day, Rotarians and social activists are remembering the brave sacrifices of more than 200 Rotary volunteers who lost their lives working to eradicate polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They are calling for renewed support to finally end the fight against this crippling disease.
“It’s not time to celebrate success yet,” said District Governor Dr. Sandeep Chauhan. “We recently saw an outbreak of a variant of poliovirus type 2 in Gaza on July 24, which required massive vaccination efforts under difficult conditions.”
Chief Advisor and Past District Governor Amjad Ali spoke about the dangers faced by polio workers. “Due to lack of awareness and myths about the virus, over 200 polio team members have been killed during campaigns,” he said. “Most of these tragic incidents happened in Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
A coordinated and intensive campaign has been launched under the supervision of Past District Governor Ghanshyam Kansal. The goal is to make the theme of “World Polio Day 2024: A chance for reflection and a reminder to reach every last child” a reality.
Leaders and activists from Rotary clubs in Ahmedgarh and Malerkotla, including presidents like Venu Gopal Sharma and secretaries such as Ashok Kumar Verma, organized workshops, seminars, and lectures in their communities. They highlighted the importance of raising awareness about polio risks and the consequences of failing to eliminate the virus in underserved populations.
The events also paid tribute to the victims of violent attacks against polio volunteers in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Speakers recalled that in January 2016, 16 polio workers died in a suicide attack in Quetta, Pakistan. Additionally, six female polio workers were shot dead in the same city on different days.
They also remembered the 68 deaths across Pakistan from December 2012 to January 2014, along with multiple cases of verbal and physical assaults reported from Karachi and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The abduction of 11 teachers supporting the campaigns caused widespread panic.
