Maria Majidi’s Decade-Long Tireless Struggle Against Polio
Jowzjan, Afghanistan – Maria Majidi, a resident of Sheberghan city in Jowzjan province, has played a crucial role in preventing polio as a dedicated vaccinator for the past decade, safeguarding the lives of hundreds of children in her community.
The 28-year-old resident of Jarmala, who pursued midwifery studies after graduating from high school, has been working as a volunteer in polio vaccination campaigns for nearly ten years.
In every campaign, Maria travels long distances from Jarmala to Sakhi Abad to ensure that children in these areas are vaccinated, protecting them from this life-threatening disease.
“Initially, many families were reluctant to vaccinate their children, doubting the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing polio. However, after consistently explaining the importance and benefits of the vaccine and presenting examples of countries that have eradicated polio through vaccination, many families changed their stance,” she says.
After years of hard work and dedication, Maria has been able to reduce the number of vaccine-refusing families in Sakhi Abad to zero, which is a significant achievement.
“Now, everyone in Sakhi Abad knows me. Mothers appreciate my efforts and cooperate with me in every campaign to ensure that every child is vaccinated and none are deprived of vaccination,” she adds.
While administering the polio vaccine to a child at one of the polio vaccination sites, Maria told the child’s mother, “Polio is a paralyzing and deadly disease with no cure, but it can be prevented through vaccination. If one child contracts polio, they can infect up to 200 others. Therefore, it is crucial to vaccinate every child to protect them and many others from polio.”
Maria’s colleague, Shabana, who has also been working as a volunteer in polio vaccination campaigns for the past five years, says that Maria is a role model for all volunteers because she has dedicated a full decade of hard work to this cause and has been fighting against polio.
“Maria Majidi is a dedicated and diligent volunteer who has made a significant impact in the fight against polio in Jowzjan province,” she adds.
During every polio vaccination campaign, Maria travels long distances from Jarmala to Sakhi Abad to ensure that children in these areas are vaccinated, protecting them from this life-threatening disease. © Polio Free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Abdul Saboor Serat
She said that every volunteer in Jowzjan province aspires to be like Maria, striving to genuinely fight against polio and free the province, and Afghanistan as a whole, from this disease.
Dr. Suliman Mohammadi, an official in the internal medicine department of Jowzjan Provincial Hospital, stated: “Polio vaccination volunteers like Maria ensure the health of our future generations. Without them, the fight against this disease would be incomplete.”
He regards two drops of the polio vaccine as the sole means of protection against polio and urges families to administer the vaccine to children during every campaign to safeguard them from this devastating illness.
Similarly, Mohammad Yasin Hamrah, the general director of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) at the Jowzjan Department of Public Health, says that Maria is a heroic woman who has continued her work under difficult conditions and has tirelessly fought against polio for nearly a decade.
“When I witness the efforts and hard work of volunteers like Maria Mohammadi in polio vaccination campaigns, I become more confident that one day Afghanistan will be free from polio, and our lovely children will no longer fall victim to this cruel disease,” he adds.
Hamrah expressed satisfaction, stating that fortunately, no positive cases of polio have been recorded in the province over the past 25 years, a testament to the community’s cooperation with vaccination campaigns.
He further noted that during every campaign, approximately 200,000 children under the age of five are vaccinated in the province.
Maria Majidi’s efforts and determination demonstrate how an individual, with the support of their family and community, can bring about significant change.
She has not only become a beacon of hope for the children of Sakhi Abad but also an inspiring example for women playing a role in the health of their communities.
Abdul Saboor Serat, Polio Free Afghanistan
