Discovery Center

World Polio Day 2023

Let's Make Polio History

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 | 5 - 7 pm PST
Image of a person holding a polio vaccine wearing a yellow vest that says end polio now in a red block

The Discovery Center and Rotary International hosted a hybrid event commemorating World Polio Day 2023 “Let’s make polio history” This event was an opportunity to celebrate progress in the fight against the disease and discuss the obstacles that remain to achieve a polio-free world.

Learn about what gives us hope on the pathway to eradication, how polio eradication is supporting women on the frontlines, and how the program continues to innovate and adapt to changing situations. Engage with Ezra Teshome, a Rotarian who has been leading vaccination campaigns in Ethiopia for over 20 years, and Tehniyat Khan, from the Foundation’s polio team in Afghanistan. Moderated by Penny Legate, former TV anchor for KIRO TV.

After the panel discussion, there will be time for questions from the audience. Missed the live event? watch the event recording below, because, together, we can #EndPolio.

Watch

Speakers

Ezra Teshome

Ezra Teshome’s unwavering and profound passion for global health issues particularly focuses on two vital causes, the eradication of polio and the provision of clean water to underserved villages in his native Ethiopia.

As a committed member of Rotary, he played a crucial role in the ongoing campaign to eradicate Polio and collaborate with our partners and the Gates Foundation. His work serves as an inspiring example of the positive change that passionate individuals can bring to the world.

Tehniyat Khan

Tehniyat Khan is a passionate advocate for global health, dedicated to the mission of eradicating polio from the face of the Earth. Having spent many years strengthening health and vaccination systems in Pakistan, Tehniyat brings a unique perspective and deep commitment to her work as part of the Polio Eradication Initiative at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where she now works to eradicate polio with a focus on Afghanistan. 

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