A Young Poet’s Efforts to Protect Children from Polio
Khost, Afghanistan – Qudratullah Waqar, a 28-year-old resident of Lakan village in the central area of Khost province, is not just a poet but also a frontline fighter against polio.
On the one hand, he expresses his emotions through poetry, while on the other, he tirelessly works to safeguard the health and safety of the children in his community.
For the past nine years, Qudratullah has been serving as a cluster supervisor in polio vaccination campaigns to ensure that every child is vaccinated and their health is protected.
As the sole breadwinner of his family, Qudratullah shoulders the responsibility of supporting the education of his four younger siblings and meeting his family’s needs. Despite these heavy responsibilities, he prioritizes his duties in the vaccination campaigns.
“When I saw that the children in our community were at risk from the incurable disease of polio and that vaccination was the only way to protect them, I decided to join the polio vaccination campaigns and deliver vaccines to children,” he says.
According to him, he has spent years as a volunteer delivering polio vaccines to children and protecting them from the disease. However, in recent times, he has been working as a cluster supervisor in polio vaccination campaigns.
Qudratullah Waqar, renowned as a young poet in Khost, says he has always used his fame and artistic talent to encourage families who are skeptical about polio vaccination or are unaware of the disease’s dangers to vaccinate their children.
“In our society, traditional issues and cultural matters have caused people to fall victim to misinformation, such as concerns about polio vaccines. However, it is our duty is to eliminate these misconceptions, ensure the health of children, and create a safe living environment,” he states.
According to him, many families who initially refused to vaccinate their children have, through his efforts, agreed to vaccination—a significant achievement in his view.
Qudratullah has been serving as a cluster supervisor in polio vaccination campaigns for the past nine years, ensuring that every child is vaccinated and their health is protected. © Polio Free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Rahmatullah Marjankhil
Akhtar Mohammad, a colleague of Qudratullah Waqar, says that Qudratullah is serious about his work and performs his duties with great responsibility.
According to him, Waqar endures all kinds of hardships for the health of children and never shies away from challenges or exhaustion.
“An interesting aspect of Waqar’s work is that he sometimes uses poetry to educate families, dispel their doubts and concerns, and encourage them to understand the importance of polio vaccination and protect their children from paralysis through this sole means,” he explains.
Additionally, religious scholar Mawlawi Latifur Rahman also commends both the importance of polio vaccination and Waqar’s efforts, stating, “Polio vaccination is crucial for children’s health, and Qudratullah plays a prominent role in this field, working to change people’s negative mindsets.”
He adds that Islam emphasizes prevention, cleanliness, and health preservation. The importance of vaccines is not only scientifically proven but also aligns with religious teachings.
He calls on people, stating that vaccinating children against polio is the responsibility of every family to ensure a society free from polio and other infectious diseases.
As a dedicated volunteer and young poet, Qudratullah Waqar not only fights for the health of the children in his community but also works to change people’s mindsets and strives to build a healthy society.
His efforts convey the message that every member of society can protect future generations from infectious diseases by fulfilling their responsibilities.
Rahmatullah Marjankhil, Polio Free Afghanistan
