World Polio Day 2026
Support a polio-free world on World Polio Day. Rotary International established the October 24 observance to honor Jonas Salkās birthday and to keep attention on vaccinating every child until wild poliovirus transmission ends.
About World Polio Day
History & origins
World Polio Day falls on October 24, the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk (born 1914), who led the team that developed the first successful inactivated polio vaccine, widely rolled out after the 1955 field-trial announcement. Albert Sabinās later oral polio vaccine became another pillar of mass campaigns. Rotary International established World Polio Day to commemorate that scientific milestone and to mobilize support for eradication.
In 1988 partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), with Rotary, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and later the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation among the core partners. Global cases of wild poliovirus have fallen by more than 99 percent since the initiative began, though endgame work continues in remaining endemic areas and against vaccine-derived outbreaks. World Polio Day is an awareness and fundraising date, not a festival and not a U.S. federal holiday.
Why it matters
Polio is preventable. Children still need vaccination where the virus circulates or could return. The day is a yearly reminder that āalmost eradicatedā is not the same as eradicated ā and that surveillance and immunization have to continue.
How to celebrate
This is not a party. Donate to trusted polio-eradication or immunization funds if you can. Share accurate information about inactivated and oral vaccines. Thank local public-health workers. If you are a Rotary member or partner, join a planned awareness event. Teach kids that vaccines are why many countries no longer fear summer polio epidemics.
Facts
- October 24 is Jonas Salkās birthday
- Salkās team developed the first successful inactivated polio vaccine; Sabinās oral vaccine followed for mass campaigns
- Rotary International established World Polio Day
- The Global Polio Eradication Initiative began in 1988
- Wild polio cases have dropped by more than 99 percent since then, with endgame work still underway
Upcoming dates
- Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Sunday, October 24, 2027
- Tuesday, October 24, 2028
- Wednesday, October 24, 2029
- Thursday, October 24, 2030
Frequently asked questions
When is World Polio Day in 2026?
World Polio Day in 2026 falls on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
Is today World Polio Day?
No. World Polio Day in 2026 falls on Saturday, October 24, 2026, not today.
What is World Polio Day?
It is a global awareness day, established by Rotary International, to support polio eradication and to honor the vaccine breakthrough associated with Jonas Salkās birthday.
Who started World Polio Day?
Rotary International established the day. It ties to Jonas Salkās October 24 birthday and to the wider Global Polio Eradication Initiative partnership.
How do you celebrate World Polio Day?
Support immunization and eradication work, share accurate vaccine information, and join a local awareness activity if one is offered. Keep the focus on public health.
Is World Polio Day an official holiday?
It is an official global awareness observance used by Rotary and public-health partners. It is not a U.S. federal holiday. Offices and schools follow their usual schedules.
Share
Help others discover this day by sharing it.