End Polio Now: Rallying Penang for Awareness

Over three weeks in May 2026, we led a multi-layered public awareness campaign to keep Polio eradication in the public eye and to remind Penangites why continued vigilance against the disease still matters — even in a state where the disease itself feels like a distant memory.

Running from 7 to 29 May, the End Polio Now Awareness Project brought us together with Rotary Club of Penang Strait and Rotary Club of Seberang Jaya in a coordinated push built around four distinct activities: a high-visibility End Polio Now billboard in the heart of George Town, a community Fun Walk, a bikers' convoy, and a charity fundraising dinner. Each was designed to reach a different slice of the community, from families out for a weekend walk to riders drawn to a convoy, ensuring the message travelled further than any single event could manage on its own.

Why Penang, why now

Conversations with residents ahead of the campaign revealed a familiar gap: most people had heard of Polio, but few understood that the fight against it isn't over, or the part Rotary continues to play in eradicating it worldwide. There was also a broader worry about health misinformation, and a clear preference among residents for hearing public health messages from trusted local institutions — which is exactly the space we and the Penang Island City Council stepped into together.

The campaign doubled as an opportunity to shine a light on Rotary House at 86 Lebuh Acheh, where we run a dialysis centre serving the B40 community — pairing Polio awareness with a reminder of our ongoing healthcare commitments in the city.

A carnival to close it out

The campaign culminated on 29 May with the End Polio Carnival in George Town, where hundreds of residents gathered from as early as 7 a.m. for the billboard launch, the fun walk, the bikers' convoy, a free medical screening camp covering blood pressure, glucose and urine tests, and a charity food fair in aid of the Penang Crystal Family Home. Penang Island City Council mayor Datuk A. Rajendran, Rotary International District 3300 Governor Edward Khoo, our president R. Chandra Segar, Rotary Club of Bukit Angkasa Charter President Yap Fatt Lam and District 3300 Area Coordinator Stephanie Wong were among those who joined in.

"Today's event is more than just a carnival. It reflects the spirit of community care, public health awareness, and unity among the people of Penang," Rajendran told the crowd.

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What it leaves behind

Unlike a single-day event, the campaign was built to keep working after the last banner came down. The End Polio Now billboard remains up in George Town year-round, giving thousands of residents and visitors a daily reminder of why vaccination and disease prevention still matter. Just as importantly, the knowledge shared through the fun walk, the convoy and the dinner doesn't expire — it stays with the people who attended, and with the families and neighbours they talk to afterward.

By the numbers, the project drew 24 volunteers who contributed 168 hours of service, backed by funding of USD 2,000 from our club. It's a modest budget for a campaign that reached across George Town — proof that sustained community trust, not just spend, is what carries a public health message.

Project at a glance

• Project chair: Wong Mooi Heong

• Club president: R. Chandra Segar

• Partner clubs: Rotary Club of Penang Strait, Rotary Club of Seberang Jaya

• Team: 24 volunteers, 168 hours of service

• Funding: USD 2,000, contributed by our club

• Impact: a permanent End Polio Now billboard in George Town, plus a free medical screening camp, charity dinner and food fair that raised awareness of Polio eradication and our dialysis services for the B40 community — reaching hundreds of residents on carnival day alone