The World Polio Day is celebrated annually on October 24, to raise awareness for polio vaccination and eradication of polio. World Polio Day provides an opportunity to highlight global efforts toward a polio-free world and honour the tireless contributions of those on the frontlines in the fight to eradicate polio from every corner of the globe.
The Day was established by Rotary International to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. 2020 theme for World Polio Day is “A win against polio is a win for global health.” As of August 2020, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two nations which remain with the continued transmission of wild poliovirus.