Rotary Club of New Amsterdam leads polio awareness walk to “End Polio Now”

On Sunday, members of the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam, along with community partners, students, and well-wishers, participated in a Polio Awareness Walk aimed at reinforcing the global message — End Polio Now.
The event, organised as part of Rotary International’s long-standing campaign to eradicate polio worldwide, saw participants walking from the entrance to the Berbice River Bridge to East Canje, carrying banners and posters urging continued vigilance and vaccination.
Addressing the gathering after the walk, President of the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam, Roopnarine Hemraj, expressed gratitude for the strong show of support from the community, noting that the annual event brings together Rotarians, friends, partners, and members of our community with one shared goal — to end polio.
He reminded participants that the walk was more than just a physical journey.
“Today, as we walk side by side, we did not just take steps on a road; we take steps toward a world free from polio. Each stride we make symbolises hope, compassion, and commitment,” he declared. “We are this close to eradicating polio.”

A global fight nearing the finish line
Rotary’s fight to end polio began more than 35 years ago, in 1985, when the organisation launched its PolioPlus initiative, the first and largest internationally coordinated private-sector support of a public health goal.
Since then, thanks to partnerships with the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world has seen a 99.9 percent reduction in polio cases.
According to WHO data, polio cases have dropped from an estimated 350,000 cases annually in 125 countries in 1988 to fewer than 10 cases reported globally in 2024, with wild poliovirus now endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Despite this progress, health officials warn that outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus in parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe remind the world that polio anywhere remains a threat to children everywhere.

Rotary’s Continuing Commitment
Meanwhile, Hemraj emphasised that while enormous progress has been made, the fight is not over.
“Our efforts, alongside global partners, have led to a 99.9 percent reduction in polio cases worldwide; what a remarkable achievement. Yet our mission is not complete. Until the very last child is vaccinated, until the last trace of this disease is gone, none of us can rest.”
He reaffirmed Rotary’s core values of service and compassion, highlighting the organisation’s unwavering determination.
“This morning, let our walk remind the world that Rotary never gives up. We are people of action, united by purpose, driven by compassion, and powered by hope. Together, we walk for a polio-free world. Together, we make it happen.”

Local effort, global vision
Sunday’s Polio Walk also sought to raise awareness among residents about the importance of maintaining vaccination coverage, especially as countries continue to recover from pandemic-related disruptions to routine immunisation programs.
Rotarians from New Amsterdam joined by youth groups, civic organisations, and community leaders, all walking under the banner of Rotary’s enduring slogan: “Service Above Self.”
As the sun rose Sunday morning, the message was clear: while the end of polio is within reach, the commitment to finish the job must remain strong.
“Let’s keep walking, keep advocating, and keep believing in a future where polio is history and hope is restored,” President Hemraj urged.
With renewed spirit and unity of purpose, the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam’s Polio Walk stands as both a local call to action and a proud contribution to one of humanity’s greatest public health achievements — a world free of polio.