The District Governor of Rotary International, District 9141, Mr. Anthony Woghiren, has called on mothers across Nigeria to become active ambassadors in the fight against polio.
Woghiren made the appeal on Thursday during an immunisation outreach held at a Primary Health Centre in Kuje, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to commemorate World Polio Day 2025.
He emphasized that mothers play a crucial role in ensuring that children between the ages of zero and five receive routine polio vaccinations, noting that grassroots awareness among women remains vital to eradicating the disease.
“I have instructed mothers to be our ambassadors. Tell your friends and pregnant women that every child must receive immunisation to prevent any form of polio,” Woghiren said.
The Rotary leader reaffirmed the organisation’s long-standing commitment to eradicating polio globally, describing it as one of Rotary International’s foremost humanitarian missions.
According to him, only Afghanistan and Pakistan still report cases of wild poliovirus, while global eradication efforts have achieved 99.9 per cent success.
Woghiren stated that Rotary aims to achieve total eradication of polio before 2030, recalling that Nigeria was certified free of wild poliovirus in 2020.
He explained that Rotary has continued to support various programmes designed to sustain the country’s zero-polio status and prevent any resurgence of the disease.
“We have intensified public sensitisation through social media, community outreach, and awareness campaigns across cities, markets, and rural areas to promote vaccination,” he said.
Woghiren appealed for stronger support from individuals and organisations, noting that Rotary cannot achieve its goal alone.
“We need support because we cannot do it alone. We appeal to well-spirited individuals to contribute to the Rotary Polio Fund,” he said.
He added that donations to the fund are used to procure vaccines and support health workers conducting immunisation exercises across the country.
Woghiren also urged mothers to take full advantage of the immunisation programme, warning that failure to vaccinate children could expose them to the risk of contracting the disease.
