Our vaccination mission coordinator, Alain Bouvard, organized a meeting on June 24, 2026, at WHO headquarters in Geneva on the topic: lessons learned from vaccination missions carried out by members of the Cercle Polioplus in collaboration with WHO.
Six members of the Polioplus Club who participated in vaccination campaigns met with thirty staff members from the WHO’s polio control department. These staff members are responsible year-round for monitoring the polio epidemic and planning vaccination campaigns. Their duties include, among other things:
- Compile data on polio cases detected worldwide.
- Identify countries where vaccination campaigns are a priority.
- Manage budget allocations to fund campaigns and ensure funds are used appropriately.
- Coordinate vaccination efforts with WHO officials in various countries.
- Develop strategies for vaccination.
- Manage the logistics of vaccine delivery.
There is a connection between Rotary and the WHO: Rotary’s financial contributions.
At this meeting, members of the Cercle Polioplus presented the seven missions they had carried out. The WHO representatives showed great interest in the presentation, and several of them explained their roles within the WHO organization.
The goal of the day was to bring the teams closer together so that we could prepare for future missions under the best possible conditions and with the greatest possible efficiency. We all left—both Rotarians and WHO staff—with a firm commitment to continue the vaccination mission programs for the 2026–2027 year. The first destinations will be announced shortly to applicants for dates in October and November.
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