A Rotarian works to dispel myths about polio vaccines
Diana Maria Pirga
Rotary Club of Türkiye Evrensel, District 2430
Digital community engagement specialist, UNICEF Pakistan
I was looking for volunteer opportunities in my home country of Romania when I saw a social media post about a Rotaract project. I made a donation, and the members invited me to come with them in the field. I joined Rotaract and got involved in many other projects that came after. You could even say my digital career started there. Back in those days social media was booming in Romania, and as a club we started organizing conferences for youth to learn about social media not only as users but as a job.
Image credit: Khaula Jamil
When I joined Rotaract, I had no idea what Rotary was about. I remember, even now, I was sitting at my computer and watching all these videos about Rotary’s work on the polio eradication initiative. I was impressed by the hard work being done. I said to myself back then that it would be so great one day to be working with Rotary on this program. And somehow, 10 years later, I got the chance.
At UNICEF, part of my work lies in managing disinformation and addressing hesitancy around polio vaccination. The majority of parents are not against vaccines, and they do vaccinate during every campaign. However, we have a small group that has worries. Some people fear side effects; others question why children need several doses of the same vaccine. When these concerns are not addressed, uncertainty can grow and negative narratives can lead to hesitancy or refusal.
We respond to vaccine concerns in two ways. First, we support health workers with simple explanations they can use when speaking with families about why the polio vaccine is safe and why repeated doses are needed. Second, we rely on trusted local voices. Parents are more likely to listen to people they know, and when other caregivers share their own experiences of vaccinating their children, that reassurance often matters more than official messages. By listening carefully and working through trusted community voices, we protect confidence in polio vaccination — one conversation at a time.
This story originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Rotary magazine.