Palwasha; A successful vaccinator
Raqiba Hamidi
Kunduz, Afghanistan – “My colleagues and I are working tirelessly to vaccinate every child, aiming to eradicate the dangerous disease of polio from Afghanistan.”
These are the words of 28-year-old Palwasha Niazi, who has devoted the past few years to working as a vaccinator at the health clinic in Khanabad district of Kunduz province.
Dressed in a white lab coat, Palwasha Niazi, along with her colleagues, administers polio vaccines to children accompanied by their mothers who visit this health clinic for treatment.
She states, “Every day, in the wards and rooms of the health clinic, I seek out children who come with their mothers, ensuring they receive vaccinations. My goal is to make certain that no child is deprived of their vaccination.”
According to her, the health of children—who are the future makers of the country—is of utmost importance to her, and she considers herself personally responsible for their safety, health, and well-being.
“Many families visit this health clinic for treatment or vaccination. I ask every mother if their child has been vaccinated. To be 100 percent certain, I check the child’s finger for a mark indicating vaccination,” she asserted.
Palwasha, navigating the wards of Khan Abad Health clinic, on a mission to find children accompanied by their mothers for treatment and administer the polio vaccine. © Polio free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Raqiba Hamidi
She adds that some mothers are unaware of the importance of the polio vaccine and initially refuse to vaccinate their children. However, she kindly explains the dangers of polio and the benefits of vaccination. After that they usually agree to vaccinate their children.
According to Palwasha, she later encourages those mothers to share the message with other mothers. This way, they too will be encouraged to vaccinate their children.
She says that during her tenure, she has educated hundreds of mothers about the importance of the polio vaccine, and as a result, they have eagerly brought their children for vaccination.
This successful vaccinator says that polio has no cure and can only be prevented through vaccination, therefore it is the responsibility of parents to vaccinate their children under five years of age during every campaign.
She states that if a child is left unvaccinated for any reason, they should be taken to the nearest health clinic for vaccination.
Palwasha administering the polio vaccine to a child at the Khanabad health clinic © Polio free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Raqiba Hamidi
Mahbooba, a 30-year-old mother, brought her two children to this health clinic for vaccination.
She states that initially, she was unaware of the dangers of polio and the benefits of vaccination. However, Palwasha raised her awareness, and now she ensures her children receive vaccination every month.
She said that she now understands that if children under five years of age are not vaccinated regularly, they will become infected with polio, leading to disability.
Dr. Abdul Manan, a pediatric specialist at the Khan Abad Health clinic, states that polio, a contagious, deadly, and paralyzing disease, is spreading across the country.
He emphasizes that polio has no cure, it can only be prevented through vaccination, and warns parents to be cautious and not let this disease destroy their children’s present and future.
