A Hero on the Difficult Path Against Polio
Saeed Zabuli
Zabul, Afghanistan – In the remote district of Shamulzayi, Zabul, a young man is striving to safeguard children from polio.
This 32-year-old man, Daad Mohammad, has been working as a vaccinator in polio vaccination campaigns for the past eight years.
He says that he has been doing this tiring yet prideful work for the past eight years with the aim of saving children from polio.
Driven by strong determination, Daad Mohammad states, “Vaccinating children is an investment in the next generation to ensure a healthy and safe society.”
Shamulzayi district lies 120 kilometers from the provincial capital, Qalat, and faces challenges such as dirt roads, harsh weather, and limited public awareness about polio vaccination.
But Daad Mohammad stands firm against all these challenges, emphasizing, “This voluntary work is a huge responsibility for me. If I don’t deliver the polio vaccine to children in these remote areas, they may contract this incurable disease.”
In the remote district of Shamulzayi, Zabul, a young man is striving to safeguard children from polio. This 32-year-old man, Daad Mohammad, has been working as a vaccinator in polio vaccination campaigns for the past eight years © Polio Free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Saeed Zabuli
Memories
Daad Mohammad has many sweet and bitter memories from his journey. He recalls one of the bitter ones, saying, “A few years ago, I saw a child who had become paralyzed because they hadn’t received the polio vaccine. That moment was excruciatingly painful for me. I looked at the child who could no longer walk—it was very hard to bear.”
With a voice filled with emotion, he added, “Tears welled up in my eyes as I knew this child would never be able to play like other children. That moment motivated me to volunteer in the polio vaccination campaign, driven to save other children from suffering a similar fate.”
Daad Mohammad also has a sweet memory that remains unforgettable. He recalls vaccinating the son of a village elder in Shamulzayi district: “The village elder believed that the polio vaccine was harmful to children and insisted that his son was healthy and didn’t need it. However, with great patience, I explained the dangers of polio to him, and eventually, I convinced him to vaccinate his child.
He adds, “When I administered the vaccine to the child, I felt as if I had achieved a monumental victory.”
Abdullah, a colleague of Daad Mohammad, says that despite the difficulties, Daad Mohammad carries out his duties with great passion and commitment, inspiring all his coworkers with his efforts.
“Daad Mohammad is a true hero in the fight to protect children from the dangerous disease of polio. He carries out his duties as a vaccinator with immense responsibility, knowing that every drop of polio vaccine saves a child’s life,” he added.
Hope for a Better Future
The efforts of Daad Mohammad and thousands of other volunteers aim to build a society where children are safe from permanent disability.
Their dedication teaches us that if we all fight together, one day Afghanistan will be declared polio-free.
