“ CHASING POLIO ”

In 1988, the World Health Organization set an ambitious goal to eradicate polio globally by the year 2000. While the threat of polio has been contained in affluent nations, an estimated 350,000 polio cases persisted worldwide. The key to eradication lies in the fact that the virus exclusively resides in humans, and a vaccine is readily available, so that vaccinating every child on the planet can lead to a polio-free world. However, until every nation achieves polio-free status, the risk lingers. 

Unfortunately, the countries where the virus persisted are often among the poorest, with populations at risk unable to access basic health services due to isolation, neglect, civil strife, or war.

Inspired by the commitment to create a polio-free world by the turn of the millennium, photographer Jean-Marc Giboux embarked on a personal project to document the work, progress, and impact of humanitarian efforts dedicated to eradicating the global polio epidemic. With a grant from the Rotary Foundation, his lens captured the tireless endeavors of volunteers and health workers across 17 polio-affected countries in Asia and Africa. Initially published in Life magazine, Giboux continued his documentation on behalf of the World Health Organization, Rotary International, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

The eradication of polio stands as the largest public health initiative ever undertaken by humanity, yet achieving and sustaining a polio-free world has proven more challenging and time-consuming than anyone could have foreseen. Its success will not only mark the elimination of a deadly virus but will also leave behind an infrastructure capable of combatting other diseases. As of 2023, only 12 cases of wild poliovirus persist in the two remaining endemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan.