Never put your children’s lives at risk
A story of a farmer By Fareed Hashimy
Kabul, Afghanistan – “The doctor at the hospital in my village did not treat me and my children properly, which is why I have not vaccinated my children against polio for four consecutive months,” says Riazullah, father of five children. “Whenever I took my children to the same doctor, he treated us harshly, did not pay attention, and did not give us proper medicine.”
Riazullah, a 27-year-old farmer, lives in the Khoqyani District of Nangarhar Province. He spends most of his time farming wheat for his livelihood.
He visits the only local government hospital in his village when his children get sick. As per his surroundings, the doctor he visits is his relative. They both have family issues and the doctor doesn’t pay him and his children attention.
Riazullah farming in his field in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar province
Since then, Riazullah has taken the oath of not taking his children to the doctor. And whenever the vaccinators visit him at his doorstep during the polio campaigns, he refuses. However, this oath would give him no benefit, but it might put his children’s lives in danger of poliovirus. Unfortunately, this continued for four consecutive months. Non-vaccination of the children was considered a serious concern and a serious problem not just for Riazullah, but for the entire village as well.
Fortunately, a specialist team from UNICEF approached Riazullah. The team stated the importance of polio vaccination and the danger of not vaccinating children against the poliovirus. They also promised him that he would be treated the same way every other patient is treated in that local government hospital. The team emphasized that he should not put his children’s lives in danger because of someone else’s ill-treatment.
UNICEF polio team is talking to Riazullah in front of his house about the benefits of polio vaccine
“I am very happy and thankful to the UNICEF team who approached me and opened my eyes before it gets too late,” said Riazullah with a smile on his face. “I now understand the importance of polio vaccines. I was wrong and I should not have prevented my children from receiving polio vaccines because of a personal problem.”
However, Riazullah humbly requests those who refuse polio vaccines to vaccinate their children against polio. This will let their children live a happy, healthy, and prosperous life.
Riazullah and two of his children after vaccination
Riazullah is one such story in the Khoqyani District of Nangarhar Province. However, there are many of them across Afghanistan who still refuse to vaccinate their children due to different reasons. UNICEF polio teams are on the ground to approach each one at their doorsteps and try to convince them in the most effective possible manner.
In order for our children to have a healthy and prosperous future, we all have an obligation as individuals and as parents. After us, our children will take the country forward and be Afghanistan’s future.
Healthy children playing in Hakimabad Mullah Village of Khogyani District
