Health Ambassadors: Guardians of Children’s Future
Balkh, Afghanistan – In the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, two dedicated polio vaccination campaign volunteers, Anisa and Saadia, set out from their homes each day, with the hope of protecting children from the dangerous disease of polio.
However, their work involves more than just administering vaccines; they are also deeply engaged in dispelling misconceptions about polio vaccines within families.
Anisa, who has been working as a campaign supervisor for the past several years, has vaccinated thousands of children and convinced dozens of vaccine-refusing families to change their minds and immunize their children.
“As a worker in the polio vaccination campaign, I haven’t limited my role to just administering vaccines. I’ve always strived to raise awareness about the importance of the polio vaccine in the community and convince vaccine-refusing families to immunize their children,” she says.
Reflecting on her experiences, she adds that convincing families who refuse polio vaccination is not an easy task; it requires special skills and a great deal of patience.
“When we encounter families who refuse to vaccinate their children, we try to identify the root cause of their refusal. It’s our duty to heed their concerns calmly and then skillfully provide accurate information about the benefits of the vaccine to them,” she explained.
In the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, two dedicated polio vaccination campaign volunteers, Anisa and Saadia, set out from their homes each day, with the hope of protecting children from the dangerous disease of polio © Polio Free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Abdul Saboor Serat
Anisa also mentions that some families refuse to vaccinate their children due to religious and cultural beliefs. In such cases, they seek assistance from local religious scholars to help convince these families that the polio vaccine aligns with Islamic principles and is crucial for the safety of their children.
Alongside Anisa is Saadia, another hardworking volunteer, who has made significant efforts to safeguard children from polio.
She says that despite facing mistreatment from families and, at times, being spoken to harshly, she has remained resilient because her primary goal is the children’s safety.
“The children’s health is my top priority. When I vaccinate them, I feel like I’m taking a major step towards securing their future,” she adds.
In addition, she educates families about the dangers of polio and the benefits of vaccination to further increase their understanding.
“I treat each family as if they were my relatives, telling them that the vaccine is essential for their children’s future. Whenever a parent is convinced and agrees to vaccinate their child, it’s a moment of happiness for me. I hope that one day, all the children in our country will be protected from this terrible disease,” she said.
Noor Muhammad Ishaqzai, a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, who once opposed polio vaccination, is now one of its strongest supporters.
“I initially believed that the vaccine would harm our children and that it was against our religion, but after Anisa and Saadia provided me with accurate information about the vaccine’s importance, I realized it is the only way to protect children from the dangerous disease of polio,” he said.
Volunteers like Anisa and Saadia play a fundamental role in safeguarding public health. Their love, patience, and dedication extend beyond merely administering vaccines; they ignite a flame of hope for the children of the nation. Each vaccinated child is a symbol of success, and each convinced parent is a step towards a brighter future.
By Abdul Saboor Serat, Polio Free Afghanistan
