End Polio Now update

Polio Eradication Update

Welcome to the Sixth Polio Newsletter of 2026.

This is my final Newsletter as the District 9940 Chair for End Polio, after having major surgery 2 years ago, and deciding to retire from paid work earlier this year my wife and I have decided to spend more time travelling. 

I wont be lost to Rotary or End Polio, but we need to the freedom to be able to do what we want when we want.

I have enjoyed the seven years in the role after taking over from the late Michael Fagg, who was a true champion for the cause, we have been through some difficult times over this period, with COVID boing the major one. 

Lyn Connor is taking over and will bring a new perspective to the role, and I wish her well, and will be here to support her, thank you Lyn for picking up this role moving forward.

As we work our way to eradicating Polio as I mentioned last month we only need to look at what is happening with the current Ebola outbreak for inspiration to continue with our task, and lets not forget about Bird Flu which is getting closer to our shores having reached Australia. As part of this newsletter we will compare the Polio Numbers for 2024, 2045 and this year and also reprint some fundraising ideas for the new incoming Boards. If there is any support we can give you to either promote the End Polio programme, or with fund raising do not hesitate to contact Lyn Connor - Kapiti Club - lcealconn@outlook.com.

Finally thank you to everyone for their support over the last seven years, and I look forward to the eradication of Polio in my lifetime.

2026 

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Polio Statistics

Here is a comparison of the numbers supplied at this time of the year for the last 3 years, you will see that this year is the best since 2023 and that we are heading in the right direction.

2026

2026 YTD Total Polio Cases (9 Wild + 71 Variant) = 80
 

2026 Circulating Variant Polio Case Total - 71   Angola 1, Central African Republic 3, Chad 4, DRC 9, Ethiopia 5, LAO PDR 2, Madagascar 1, Malawi 2, Nigeria 33, Somalia 5, South Sudan 4, Sudan 1,Togo 2

2026 Wild Polio Case Total - 9  Pakistan 3, Afghanistan 6

2025 Wild Polio Case Total  52 - Afghanistan 21 - Pakistan 31

New Polio Cases & Samples reported this week -

• Central African Republic:  one cVDPV2 case

• Ethiopia:  one cVDPV1 case

• Lao PDR:  two cVDPV1 cases

• Mali:  one cVDPV2 case

• Nigeria:  one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample

21,000,000 Children Saved from the Paralysis Of Polio

                1.6 million lives saved thanks to the Polio Vaccines                                
   Together, We End Polio!