The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has approved a resolution at its 43rd General Assembly to include the centenary commemoration of Chinese medical scientist Gu Fangzhou in its official series of international memorial events. Gu pioneered the development of inactivated poliovirus vaccines through tissue culture in China and is known as the “father of China's poliomyelitis vaccine.” His efforts saved hundreds of thousands of children from disability and contributed to eradicating poliomyelitis in China by 2000.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recently adopted a resolution to include the centenary commemoration of Chinese medical scientist Gu Fangzhou in its official series of international memorial events for 2026-2027. This decision appears in UNESCO's document titled “Proposals by Member States for the celebration of anniversaries in 2026-2027 with which UNESCO could be associated,” which highlights Gu's historic contributions to public health in China.
Gu was a pioneer in developing inactivated poliovirus vaccines through tissue culture in China. He isolated the poliomyelitis virus in the country for the first time and successfully developed the first batch of live poliomyelitis vaccines and sugar-coated live poliomyelitis vaccines. These achievements significantly reduced the average incidence of poliomyelitis, enabling China to eradicate the disease by 2000 and maintain a polio-free state for an extended period. His work benefited tens of millions of children and saved hundreds of thousands from disability.
Gu passed away in 2019 at the age of 92. His contributions are regarded as a major advancement in China's public health development. The UNESCO resolution recognizes his global impact, underscoring China's historical role in vaccine research. (148 words)