Cold Winds, Warm Efforts: The Struggle to Safeguard the Future of Nomadic Children
Ghazni, Afghanistan – The cold morning winds breathe new life into the tents of Ghazni’s nomads as gray smoke rises from their fires. Two mobile vaccination team volunteers, Sifatullah and Ahmad, set out with their vaccine carrier boxes and head toward the nomadic settlement.
Their goal is to vaccinate the nomadic children, not only protecting them from polio but also preventing the transmission and spread of the virus through them.
Nomads and the Threat of the Poliovirus
20-year-old Sifatullah who has been working as a volunteer in the mobile vaccination teams for the past three years, is now considered a crucial guardian of nomadic children.
Recently, he and his team have started vaccinating the children of nomads migrating from Ghazni to Kandahar.
“Our goal is to protect all children, especially those who miss vaccination campaigns. We want to ensure that the poliovirus is not transmitted to other areas through the nomads,” he says.
However, vaccinating nomadic children is a tiring task. Sifatullah and his colleagues work all day, from morning until evening, to ensure that all the children are vaccinated.
He particularly emphasizes the importance of vaccinating the children of migrating nomads, as this is a vital effort to prevent the transmission and spread of the poliovirus.
“We strive not only to vaccinate the nomadic children but also to educate the nomads about the dangers of polio and the importance of vaccination. Now, many nomads understand the value of vaccination and vaccinate their children without any concerns,” he states.
Sifatullah considers parents the primary guardians of their children’s health and adds, “If parents neglect vaccinating children, they not only endanger their own children’s lives but also pose a threat to the health of other children. Ensuring a healthy future for them is our shared responsibility.”
The goal of Sifatullah and his colleagues is to vaccinate nomadic children, not only protecting them from polio but also preventing the transmission and spread of the virus through them. © Polio Free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Rahmatullah Marjankhil
The Changed Mindset of Nomads
Nomads in the region, informed about the dangers of polio and the value of vaccination by the mobile polio vaccination teams, are concerned about their children’s health.
Abdul Haq, a nomad, says: “We didn’t know what polio was or how it could be prevented, but the mobile vaccination teams educated us about everything. Now, we strive to vaccinate our children regularly so they don’t fall victim to polio.”
He urges other nomads to take advantage of the vaccination services and vaccinate their children, as polio has no cure and can only be prevented through vaccination.
Health Experts’ Evaluation
Health experts praise the efforts to vaccinate nomadic children, stating that it is an effective way to prevent the transmission of the dangerous poliovirus.
Dr. Sayed Ahmad Azizi, who oversees the activities of mobile vaccination teams, says: “Polio is a dangerous contagious disease that, with the approach of winter, can easily spread from one region to another through nomadic migrations. Preventing this disease is only possible through vaccination and the implementation of hygiene practices.”
Azizi adds that mobile teams should pay special attention to children from families who have missed vaccinations.
According to him, tribal leaders, local authorities, and public awareness teams can work to convince families who are skeptical about vaccination.
After receiving their vaccinations, the nomadic children set off joyfully with their families toward new pastures. © Polio Free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Rahmatullah Marjankhil
Continuing Efforts
After receiving their vaccinations, the nomadic children set off joyfully with their families toward new pastures. However, the efforts of Sifatullah and Ahmad do not end there. Committed to their mission, they search daily for new tents to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated.
This story reflects the tireless dedication of thousands of volunteers who devote all their time to eradicating the poliovirus.
Their efforts are a promise of a bright future for children’s health.
Rahmatullah Marjankhil, Polio Free Afghanistan
