Lighting up the library for World Polio Day

Thursday 24 October 2019

logo for purple4polioOn Thursday 24 October the facade of the Library of Birmingham will be lit up purple for World Polio Day.

Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. Most know it as poliovirus. The virus is spread person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can attack the nervous system, and in some instances, lead to paralysis. Although there is no cure, there is a safe and effective vaccine – one which Rotary Clubs and their partners use to immunize over 2.5 billion children worldwide.

Unless polio is eradicated within 10 years as many as 200,000 new cases could occur around the world each year. In the past few years, only two countries have reported cases of polio caused by the wild virus.

"The world’s progress in fighting polio might be one of the best-kept secrets in global health."

Bill Gates, Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Find out more on End Polio's website.

Article posted 24 October 2019

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