Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Pearl Leads “Walk to End Polio 2025”

27 July 2025

KOTA KINABALU: The Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Pearl, in collaboration with fellow Rotary Clubs across Kota Kinabalu, successfully launched the “Walk to End Polio 2025” awareness campaign at Anjung Selera, Tanjung Lipat, Likas.

A total of 110 participants from nine Rotary Clubs, RC KK Pearl, RC Likas Bay, RC Kota Kinabalu, RC Tanjung Aru, RC South, RC Sutera, RC Luyang, RC Penampang, and RC Mandarin, took part in the event, joined by members of the Inner Wheel Club.

Together, they embarked on a symbolic walk to raise awareness of the global effort to eradicate polio.

This meaningful initiative is part of Rotary International’s global “End Polio Now” campaign, which aims to eliminate polio, a highly infectious viral disease that can lead to paralysis and even death.

The campaign seeks to raise public awareness of the dangers of polio, advocate for continued and widespread vaccination efforts, and secure the funding necessary to finally rid the world of this preventable disease.

“This is more than just a walk – it’s a commitment,” said Datin Dr Jeanette Tambakau, President of the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Pearl.

“Every step we take today represents hope, hope for a child to grow up healthy and free from polio. We are proud to lead this initiative in Sabah and to stand united with our global Rotary family. Polio is preventable and together, we can end it for good.”

She went on to say that the initiative, led under the guidance of the District Governor, is a powerful reminder of Rotary’s strength through sustained and united action. From Sabah to Singapore, Sarawak to Johor, Melaka to Brunei, clubs are walking with shared purpose for a polio-free world.

The walk is part of a broader programme under Rotary District 3310, spearheaded by District Governor Dr Shahul Hameed. Each week, a different Rotary Club within the district organises its own “Walk to End Polio,” engaging Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, family members, and community supporters.

In Sabah, clubs have committed to hosting the walk on the fourth week of every month, demonstrating a strong and ongoing regional commitment to the cause.

The overarching aim is to maintain public awareness and inspire action until polio is eradicated worldwide.

Rotary has been leading the charge to end polio for over 35 years and, in that time, has helped reduce global polio cases by more than 99.9 per cent.

As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), Rotary has mobilised billions in funding, inspired countless volunteers, and driven policy efforts in the fight against this debilitating disease.

Despite these significant achievements, the final step remains critical, stopping transmission of the virus in the two remaining polio-endemic countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Rotary continues to champion the global call to action through advocacy, fundraising, volunteering, and strategic partnerships, determined to ensure that no child, anywhere in the world, ever suffers from polio again.