Shukria Ramesh: A Beacon of Hope in the Fight Against Polio

Faryab, Afghanistan – Shukria Ramesh, wearing a white coat and wearing a black mask, walks among the mothers who have brought their children for vaccination.

One by one, she kindly educates each mother about the dangers of polio and then administers two drops of the polio vaccine into each child’s mouth.

This 28-year-old woman holds an important duty at the provincial hospital in Maymana city, Faryab province: safeguarding children from the crippling and deadly poliovirus.

 

Shukria as a Mobilizer and Vaccinator

Shukria Ramesh, who has studied midwifery, worked for nearly two years in the field.

For the past year, however, she has been serving as a mobilizer and a vaccinator at the provincial hospital in Maymana city.

Every day, between 100 to 300 children under the age of five are brought to this hospital for vaccination. Some of these children are brought from remote districts (Qaisar, Shirin Tagab, Almar, Darzab, Andkhoy, and Gurziwan) to be vaccinated against polio and other dangerous infectious diseases.

Shukria explains, “In addition to vaccinating children, I also educate mothers about the dangers of polio and the benefits of vaccination.”

Many women who come to this hospital from distant districts are unaware of polio. This compassionate mobilizer and vaccinator patiently and diligently works to help them understand that vaccination is the only way to protect children from this dangerous disease.

 

With great compassion, Shukria Ramesh first educates each mother about the dangers of polio and then administers two drops of the polio vaccine into each child’s mouth. © Polio Free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Abdul Saboor Serat

 

Fighting Misconceptions

Shukria faces some challenges as well. She explains, “Mothers have varying opinions about the polio vaccine. Some consider it essential for their children, while others believe it harms them.”

However, what unites them all is their concern for their children’s health. This shared love motivates Shukria to persist on this challenging path.

 

The Ultimate Goal: Polio Prevention

Shukria Ramesh and her colleague, Nagina Saleh, work tirelessly at the Maymana hospital every day from 8 AM to 4 PM with a significant goal: to prevent the poliovirus and save future generations from this debilitating and deadly disease.

“We vaccinate around 200 children every day. In a month, this number reaches thousands, as we save countless lives from the threat of polio,” Shukria shares.

Shukria’s colleague Nagina Saleh, who stands by Shukria in this effort, notes that with increased public awareness, more and more children are brought to this health center for vaccination every day.

According to Saleh, this hospital is a stronghold against the poliovirus and every child vaccinated here is a step towards defeating this virus.

 

Shukria Shares, “We vaccinate around 200 children every day. In a month, this number reaches thousands, as we save countless lives from the threat of polio.” © Polio Free Afghanistan/ 2024/ Abdul Saboor Serat

 

Saving Children; Mothers’ Hopes

Among the mothers who brought their children to this health center for vaccination is 35-year-old Mojda.

She has traveled from Gurziwan district to bring her four-year-old daughter for the polio vaccine, which she considers lifesaving for her child.

Mojda, who has no formal education, has learned about the importance of the polio vaccine from Shukria and other vaccinators.

She says, “There are several young people in our village who were paralyzed in childhood. Now that I understand the cause, I don’t want my children to suffer from polio and become paralyzed like them.”

Every month, Mojda undertakes the long journey to bring her daughter here for vaccination because, for her, nothing is more important than her daughter’s health.

 

A Hopeful Outcome

With increasing awareness among the people of Faryab province, the number of children receiving vaccinations is rising every day.

Although no positive polio cases have been reported in the province over the past seven years, many families remain concerned about the potential threat of the disease.

In areas where vaccinators cannot reach, many families take the initiative to bring their children to nearby health centers or the provincial hospital in Maymana for vaccination.

Shukria and her colleague continue their work with increasing determination every day, striving to vaccinate every last child.

They understand that vaccination is a hope for a future where no child suffers from this crippling disease.

Abdul Saboor Serat, Polio Free Afghanistan