From Fear to Trust: Abdullah’s Change of Perspective About the Polio Vaccine
Kabul, Afghanistan – Abdullah, a resident of Mamozo village in Kabul’s Bagrami district, was influenced by rumors and misinformation, leading him to refuse polio vaccinations for his children. However, thanks to the efforts of social mobilizers in the polio campaign, he now understands the importance of the vaccine and regularly vaccinates his children.
A father of three, Abdullah said that for years he had heard various rumors in the village about polio vaccines. Some claimed it was designed to weaken children’s ability to reproduce, while others said it made children sick.
According to him, these rumors frightened him and his family. They believed that administering the polio vaccine to their children would harm their health.
“Whenever polio vaccination campaign workers came to the village, we ignored them and hid our children because we didn’t trust them,” he said.
However, over time, and especially after a child in their village contracted polio, his perspective completely changed.
“A neighbor’s child contracted polio, and both of his legs were paralyzed. Even though the family was very poor, they tried their best to get treatment for him, but to no avail,” he explained.
Abdullah, a resident of Mamozo village in Kabul’s Bagrami district, was influenced by rumors and misinformation, leading him to refuse polio vaccinations for his children. However, thanks to the efforts of social mobilizers in the polio campaign, he now understands the importance of the vaccine and regularly vaccinates his children © Polio Free Afghanistan/2024/Hosai Ahmadzai
For Abdullah, this incident was nothing short of a wake-up call. He said, “This was a huge lesson for my family and me. We realized that the rumors and misinformation about the polio vaccine were baseless.”
He credits Shah Mahmood, a social mobilizer in the polio vaccination campaign, for changing his views.
According to him Shah Mahmood was always in touch with many people, including Abdullah, consistently explaining the benefits of the polio vaccine and the dangers of the disease to them.
“He told me that the polio vaccine boosts a child’s immunity. If a child is vaccinated on time, the chances of contracting polio are zero. Moreover, if every child is vaccinated, not only are they protected, but other children are also safeguarded from the virus, as the vaccine prevents its spread. Most importantly, it prevents permanent disability and paralysis caused by polio. Polio has no cure, but the vaccine can secure a child’s future,” Abdullah added.
He says that these facts convinced him of the importance of the polio vaccine, and based on this, he decided to never neglect his children’s health and to vaccinate them regularly.
Abdullah’s story serves as a significant lesson for families still in doubt about vaccination. Dangerous diseases like polio don’t just impact a child’s life, they bring long-term harm to entire families and communities © Polio Free Afghanistan/2024/Hosai Ahmadzai
He added: “Now, when polio vaccination volunteers come to the village, we welcome them with joy and ensure our children are vaccinated.”
Abdullah admits that he had been misled by rumors and misinformation and now urges other parents to trust the polio vaccine and vaccinate their children regularly.
Shah Mahmood, who works as a social mobilizer in the polio campaigns, spoke about persuading Abdullah: “I explained the benefits of the polio vaccine and the harms of the disease to him. I told him that polio is a disease that, once it infects a child, permanently disables them, and it has no cure. The disease can easily spread from one child to another, and if a child is not vaccinated, they pose a risk to the entire family and community.”
These facts, along with the incident of his neighbor’s child being paralyzed by polio, ultimately persuaded Abdullah to vaccinate his children.
He calls on families to only trust facts and truths and to vaccinate their children regularly so that the scourge of polio can be eradicated from the country for good.
Abdullah’s story serves as a significant lesson for families still in doubt about vaccination. Dangerous diseases like polio don’t just impact a child’s life; they bring long-term harm to entire families and communities.
By Hosai Ahmadzai, Polio Free Afghanistan
