On June 23, 1995, Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the first polio vaccine, died at the age of 81.

Given the fear and anxiety that polio had caused during the first half of the 20th century, the vaccine’s success in 1955 made Dr. Salk an international hero.

By 1960, however, Salk was ready for work others. His dream was to create an independent research center where a community of scholars interested in various aspects of biology could engage in the study of life.

The institute today bears the Salk name and at its entrance there is a plaque with this inscription: “Hope rests on the dreams, imagination and courage of those who dare to make dreams come true”.

Polio, also known as polio for short, is an infectious disease. contagious caused by the polio virus. The disease mainly affects children under the age of five and is transmitted through contaminated water or food. In the most severe cases, the virus attacks the nervous system, causing permanent paralysis and, in some cases, even death.

Prior to the development of Dr. Jonas Salk, polio caused major epidemics around the world and was considered one of the most feared diseases of the 20th century. The vaccine introduced in 1955 marked a historic turning point in the fight against the disease, leading to a drastic reduction in cases globally. Thanks to vaccination programs, today polio has been eliminated in most countries of the world, although efforts to completely eradicate it still continue.

Source: prizrenpost