Abdalla Ndalukaria was diagnosed with Polio in 1987, a year after birth. When he didn’t crawl or attempt to stand using furniture in the house a few months shy of his first birthday, his mother begun worrying. After a few hospital visits later, she was informed that her son had polio.

The virus left his legs paralysed, and his early years were filled with struggle as he sat and watched his peers enjoy the games. Decades later, Ndalukaria turned every obstacle into motivation becoming a symbol of resilience in Machakos county.

As a polio champion, he is dedicated to providing information on the benefits of the polio vaccine to all parents and guardians to ensure that every child gets the life-saving vaccine. Ndalukaria participates in health awareness campaigns to reach out to every parent and guardian.

“My mother was devastated that I had missed some vaccines, including the polio one. The health worker informed her that the polio vaccine given in the first year of my life could have prevented the infection that led to the paralysis,” Ndalukaria said.

Battling stigma

Ndalukaria was enrolled in a series of treatments and physiotherapy to strengthen some of the weak muscles that later proved beneficial in strengthening his limbs for walks using crutches.

“My entire life has felt like a race—battling stigma, catching up on opportunities like going to school, proving my abilities during job interviews, and even facing social challenges like dating. But in the end, I won—I became a polio champion and convinced a beautiful woman to become my wife,” he said with a smile.

He added that his resilience, determination, and unwavering family support were key to his journey toward inclusion and success.
As Kenya joins the rest of the continent and the world to mark the week-long World Immunisation Week 24 to 30 April, governments have been challenged to set up resilient health systems that serve as investments rather than expenditures.

This year’s theme, ‘Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible,’ focuses on a World Health Organisation (WHO) clarion call on the immunisation gains in the coming decades as more children receive the essential jab.

The WHO defines polio as a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children under five years of age.

The virus is transmitted by person-to-person and spreads mainly through the foecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a standard vehicle such as contaminated water or food. It multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis.

In 1988, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution for the worldwide eradication of polio, marking the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), spearheaded by national governments, WHO and other global health stakeholders.

Rotary International Polio Plus District 9212 Coordinator Dr Lucas Nyabero noted that robust healthcare systems require foresight and a different mentality than reliance on politics and policies that expire after a general election cycle.

Dr Nyabero noted that there have been positive outcomes secondary to government, donors, partners investments calling for more investments in areas such as maternal and child health citing programmes such as TB, HIV and malaria programmes funded by The Global Fund, USAid and PEPFAR.

Weak health systems

“These investments have significantly reduced mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We must now find sustainable ways to ensure these hard-won gains are not lost,” Nyabero said.

He said the impact of weak health systems is evident when elected leaders leave the elected and nominated posts, leaving the population spending more out-of-pocket on healthcare services or being underserved by the existing health facilities.

“We need leaders who look at whatever they put into healthcare, for instance, the vaccines, as an investment, not an expenditure, as it will bear fruits for longer than the term they will be supporting it. Expenditure is when they give us money, we go to GAVI and buy vaccines that we will use this year and next year, but how do we change that money to provide immunisation for the next five years and extend it for the next 30 years,” Dr Nyabero said.

The African Vaccine Manufacturing Acceleration (AVMA) under GAVI is an innovative financing mechanism that provides a pathway to sustainability for African vaccine manufacturing while improving the region’s resilience in the face of pandemics, outbreaks, and other health emergencies. According to GAVI, AVMA will make up to $1 billion available to support vaccine manufacturing.

According to Africa CDC, this is a game changer for the continent and advances efforts towards self-reliance, adding that this will ensure everyone in Africa receives the full benefits of immunisation regardless of their background or location.

Battling stigma

Rotary International Trustee Dr Greeta Manek, Trustee of the Rotary Foundation 2020-24 notes that millions of children’s lives have been saved thanks to a robust immunisation programme.

“We are committed to global advocacy because a single case of polio anywhere in the world means the virus is just a plane ride away—posing a threat to everyone, everywhere,” said Manek.

He described the GPEI initiative as a promise to every child to finish the job of ending polio through the regular joint health campaigns in the Horn of Africa and globally working with governments and partners to ensure that every household is sensitised and every child is reached.

Ndalukaria’s story is a testament of the transformative power of such health initiatives.

The polio champion’s journey is a testament of how a difficult childhood can fuel the determination to overcome even the toughest beginnings—and how vaccines are more than just medicine; they are a promise of a healthier, more equitable future for every child.