Rotary urges Nigerians to keep giving as World Polio Day marked in Abuja
- Rotary district governor Sikiru Owonikoko asked members not to tire of donating to end polio.
- He spoke after a walk in Abuja marking World Polio Day 2026.
- Rotary says immunisation and public sensitisation must continue until every child is protected.
Rotary International has urged its members and partners not to stop funding the fight against polio, saying the donations are already saving children's lives.
The call came from Engr. Sikiru Adetona Owonikoko, District Governor of Rotary International District 9127, after a walk in Abuja to mark World Polio Day 2026. The Nation reported the walk held on Saturday, while Leadership said it took place on Friday.
Owonikoko said ending polio is non-negotiable and that sustained money, public sensitisation and immunisation are all needed to protect millions of children worldwide.
"This is not just the beginning, and it will not be the end until every child in the world is saved," he said.
He thanked the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, for using primary healthcare centres to reach communities across the country with vaccines. He also named the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as key partners.
To Rotary members, his message was simple: keep giving to The Rotary Foundation. He said the group has spent heavily on the campaign since 1985 and asked members not to grow tired of donating or of spreading awareness.
Why it matters for Nigerian families
Polio mainly strikes children under five and can leave them paralysed for life. It has no cure, so vaccination is the only protection. For parents, that means taking children to health centres and outreach posts when immunisation teams visit, even in remote areas.
Dr. Kazeem Mustapha, Vice Chairman of the Nigerian National PolioPlus Committee and a past district governor, said Rotary is keeping its EndPolioNow campaign going to protect children everywhere. He described immunisation as a key preventive step against polio and other diseases.
The District Polio Committee Chair, Mrs. Mariam Abdullahi, said a polio-free world is achievable. She asked Rotary clubs in the district to organise immunisation drives, raise awareness in their communities and give resources.
"Polio has no place in our future, and your action is what will push it into history," she said.
She also praised volunteers who work through sun, rain and difficult terrain so that no child is missed.
What happens next
Rotary clubs in the district are expected to step up local immunisation drives and awareness campaigns. The push comes as health partners work to keep Nigeria's polio cases at zero.