Farkhunda Jalilzada’s Decade-Long Efforts in the Fight Against Polio
Balkh, Afghanistan – In the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, a 30-year-old woman named Farkhunda Jalilzada has been engaged in the fight against polio for the past ten years.
With a bachelor’s degree in Law and Political Science, Farkhunda worked as a volunteer in polio vaccination campaigns for nine years. For the past year, she has been serving as a social mobilizer. She says that throughout this time, she has achieved many accomplishments, the most significant being convincing dozens of previously misinformed, vaccine-refusing families to vaccinate their children against polio.
Farkhunda points out that one of the major challenges in the fight against polio is the low level of public awareness and states that the efforts of mobilizers help educate the public about the dangers of this devastating disease.
According to Farkhunda, polio is a paralyzing and deadly disease and if one child contracts it, they can spread it to 200 more children.
However, she is pleased with the fact that their efforts can save the country’s children from this devastating disease.
She is committed to her goals and says that she works every day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., without a break, informing families in the 7th district of Mazar-e-Sharif about the harms of polio and the benefits of vaccination to ensure that their children are vaccinated on time and are not victims of this disease.
In the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, a 30-year-old woman named Farkhunda Jalilzada has been engaged in the fight against polio for the past ten years © Polio Free Afghanistan/2024/Abdul Saboor Serat
“It doesn’t matter how far an area is or what challenges I face. What matters to me is reaching my goal, making sure no child in my designated area is left unvaccinated,” Farkhunda said.
She takes pride in the fact that, as a result of her consistent efforts, there are now no vaccine-refusing families in her designated area.
Local leaders and residents commend Farkhunda’s work and promise support to polio volunteers and workers.
Mohammad Asif, a community leader from Karte Ansari in the seventh district, says that Farkhunda raises awareness in the community with kindness and compassion, helping safeguard children from polio.
He adds that thanks to her efforts, there are no families in the area who refuse vaccination, and the people fully cooperate with her.
Asif also mentions that during polio campaigns, he personally accompanies mobilizers and volunteers house to house, fulfilling his duty as a community leader.
Another resident of the area, Aminullah, a father of two, praises the efforts of the polio vaccination workers, saying that thanks to them, his children are safe from polio.
He considers polio a dangerous disease and urges families to cooperate with volunteers and mobilizers to vaccinate their children and protect them from this dangerous disease.
Polio is a dangerous virus that enters the body through contaminated water or food and damages the nervous system, causing permanent paralysis or death in severe cases.
This disease has no cure, and can only be prevented through vaccination. Families must ensure their children are vaccinated consistently in every campaign to safeguard them from this disease.
By Abdul Saboor Serat, Polio Free Afghanistan
