This year due to COVID-19, 50 million children worldwide missed their essential vaccination against polio — a horrific and highly contagious disease that leaves children paralyzed. Resources had to be redirected away from these vulnerable kids in 52 countries as medical staff and volunteers supported the pandemic response.
Now, with polio vaccination campaigns resuming, urgent action is needed from world leaders to make up for lost time and provide the funds needed to ensure these children are protected. As we’ve seen with COVID-19, even a handful of cases anywhere could result in a global outbreak, and the children most at risk are already some of the poorest and most vulnerable in the world.
If leaders lend their support, they could not only ensure that kids remain safe, but could help end polio for good. A tireless global effort over the past 30 years has already resulted in polio being 99.9% eradicated, and recently Africa has been declared wild polio free. It would be a tragedy for the world to let COVID-19 set us permanently off track.
Instead, we can be the generation that ends polio. Urgent action is needed by world leaders to reverse the harm done by COVID-19 and help the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to reach every last child. Today your voice can help make that happen.
We’ll hand over your signature to key leaders and let them know the world is watching – and needs them to act now before it’s too late.
Help make a difference. Sign the petition to eradicate polio for good.