In 1988, polio paralyzed
children a day — approximately
This is the story of how the world came together to fight back — and nearly won.
Each dot represents one child. There are 1,000 on this screen.
Estimated global polio cases
01980
The connection
Vaccination Up, Cases Down
As vaccination rates climbed, polio cases plummeted. This is what the largest immunization effort in human history looks like.
Source: World Health Organization · Our World in Data
“Who owns the patent on this vaccine?”
Well, the people. There is no patent.
Could you patent the sun?
Jonas Salk
On refusing to patent the polio vaccine, 1955
The Beginning
1988
The world declares war on polio
350,000+ children paralyzed every year across 125+ countries. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative launches — the largest coordinated public health effort in history.
1988
1/7
2025
45 Years of Progress
Wild polio cases, 2023
12
A fragile milestone in 2023
725% increase — Pakistan and Afghanistan
A single year undid years of progress. The virus doesn't wait.
The untold challenge
Why the Last 1% Is the Hardest
Wild polio is nearly gone. But the oral vaccine that saved billions can itself mutate in under-vaccinated communities, sparking new outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus.
Wild Poliovirus vs. Vaccine-Derived
Source: GPEI · WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record
* 2025 data is partial (through mid-year)
The breakthrough
A More Genetically Stable Vaccine
The novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) is engineered for greater genetic stability. It has a substantially lower risk of reverting to a form that can cause paralysis than the older Sabin type 2 oral vaccine. That risk is not zero. High vaccination coverage and surveillance remain essential to stop outbreaks.
Source: WHO assessment, April 20251.3B
doses across 41 countries
$6.9B
needed to reach every last child
The US withdrawal from WHO cut $133M per year from GPEI. The strategy to finish the job now faces a 30% budget cut in 2026 — right when it matters most.
The official target
2027
Wild poliovirus eradication
2029
Vaccine-derived elimination
These targets are achievable — but only if the world stays committed. The tools exist. The science is there. The only question is whether we finish what we started.
We are this close. History will judge us by whether we finished what we started.
Bill Gates
Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The impact of sustained vaccination
Progress worth protecting.
A global effort spanning generations.
~350K
Estimated cases in 1988
>99%
Decline in wild polio cases since 1988
20M+
People walking who would be paralyzed
20M+
Volunteers supporting vaccination worldwide
Take action
The fight isn't over.
Decades of progress have brought polio within reach of eradication. Protecting that progress takes all of us.
Global Polio Eradication Initiative
The world's largest public health initiative
Visit site →Rotary International: End Polio Now
The citizen movement that started it all
Visit site →UNICEF Polio Programme
Reaching every last child
Visit site →World Health Organization
Leading the global health response
Visit site →
A world without polio is possible. It is a promise we must keep.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative