Polio Outbreak in Germany

Breakthrough – or outbreak? One is urgently needed to prevent the other. And yes — that includes here in Germany.

In 2024, a strain of variant poliovirus originating from Nigeria was repeatedly detected in wastewater samples from Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Dresden, Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Bonn. The virus was detected in other European countries too. In Germany, no one under the age of 25 is vaccinated with oral polio vaccine (OPV), instead they receive the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). As a result, while these individuals may not fall ill from the virus, they can still transmit it — until it reaches an unvaccinated child.

Current figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) show that only 21% of one-year-olds and 77% of two-year-olds in Germany have complete polio protection. While an epidemic is not likely, children in regions with low vaccination rates are at real risk. Some experts already describe the situation as an outbreak. And the global picture isn’t much better.

The U.S. and Argentina are planning to withdraw from the World Health Organization. U.S. health agencies are ending partnerships with many NGOs and discontinuing global health projects. Germany halved its development aid a previous draft of its budget, and the new government is not expected to restore funding. Medical aid and support for poorer countries are no longer a political priority.

We bear responsibility

It would be easy to despair. But our polio campaign with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is bigger than any one country or organization. We founded the GPEI — and we are responsible for its continuation. In times of growing apathy toward humanitarian work, we must hold firm and continue supporting the world’s largest public-private health partnership.

We Rotary members have always shown our ability to adapt. In Nigeria, we carried on in the face of Boko Haram. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly restructured our immunization programs. 

Why should we shy away from this moment? We can prove our commitment to the world through continued and reliable support for End Polio Now. Our consistency doesn’t just bring US$50 million annually — it inspires others and multiplies our impact.

Here at home, we should also raise our voices for meaningful vaccine education and prevention. And maybe a simple look at our own immunization records can be a first step toward change.

You — the one reading this — and I — the one writing —carry this responsibility in the Rotary family. This is not a time for passive dinner meetings. If we shift our mindset, the global project shifts too. This is how a potential outbreak becomes a Rotary-driven breakthrough.

Dr. Christian Schleuss is a medical doctor specialized in pediatrics, adolescent medicine, and naturopathy. He serves as the End Polio Now Coordinator for Rotary International in Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Hagen.

This story originally appeared in Rotary Magazin.