Remembering a hero of polio eradication
World Polio Day, on Oct 24, is a time to celebrate progress and rededicate ourselves to finishing the job of eradicating the disease. Let’s also honour the countless Rotarians and Rotaractors who have championed the cause. One such hero was John Sever.
Sever, who died in April at age 92, was a member of the Rotary Club of Potomac, Maryland. An infectious disease specialist at the US National Institutes of Health, Sever recommended in 1979 that Rotary make polio eradication a global goal, expanding what began as a national vaccine campaign in the Philippines.
It is hard to imagine where we would stand today without Sever’s decades of leadership, expertise and advocacy. In August, I was honoured to present his family with the International Service Award for a Polio-Free World and a crystal recognition piece in Sever’s name.
What he helped initiate, PolioPlus, became an example of implementing an action plan in Rotary. Thanks to him — and the volunteerism and generosity of countless others — polio cases have decreased by more than 99 per cent since 1988.
The path to our goal could not have been predicted and may take longer than expected. There are sometimes setbacks, as we experienced with increased cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan this year.
But we get back on our feet. This year, we ended an outbreak of wild poliovirus in Malawi and Mozambique that was caused by an importation from Pakistan in 2021, and we decreased variant poliovirus cases. Rotary and our partners stay flexible, developing new tactics while staying focused on the long-term goal with optimism.
Delivering a polio-free world with stronger health systems and communities is not only right for humanity but also a smart investment in future generations. It will be Rotary’s greatest gift to the world.
Countless heroes have followed Sever’s lead — from the club president who organised her first End Polio Now fundraiser to the advocates, donors and volunteers. We are all part of this story.
With your support, this year’s World Polio Day will be the greatest ever. Donate to End Polio Now at rotary.org/donate. Your gift will be tripled, thanks to the 2-to-1 match by the Gates Foundation. Join or initiate a PolioPlus Society in your club or district. Raise awareness in your community about how we will eradicate a human disease for only the second time in history.
Whatever you do, do it for future generations who will live without this debilitating disease. Let us deliver on our promise to the world’s children and end polio forever.
Mark Daniel Maloney
TRF Trustee Chair
