The Heavy Price of Parental Neglect: Polio Victim Muhammad Usman

Herat, Afghanistan – In a modest home in the seventh district of Herat city, 11-year-old Muhammad Usman sits beside his father, staring at his immobile legs.

With small, trembling hands, he strokes his legs as if asking them why they no longer move.

He fell victim to the poliovirus at the age of three and now relies on the help of his father and brothers for mobility.

 

The Beginning of a Tragedy

Muhammad Usman fell victim to the poliovirus just as he had started to take his first steps. This virus not only robbed him of the ability to walk but also destroyed his dreams.

With eyes filled with sorrow, Muhammad Usman says, “When I see my peers going to school with backpacks on their shoulders or playing football in the streets, my heart breaks. I wish I weren’t paralyzed, that I could run and play like them.”

This longing is etched on his innocent face—a desire intertwined with the feelings of helplessness and dependence on others.

“I feel weak and powerless. I even need help just to go to the bathroom. The thought of being dependent on others for my entire life pains me deeply,” he adds.

 

Irrecoverable Negligence

Muhammad Usman’s story is not just that of a child who fell victim to polio, it is also a harsh lesson for his parents.

Muhammad Usman’s father, Abdul Sami, a simple laborer, sorrowfully admits that he neglected his son’s vaccination.

“When the vaccinators came to our door, we were away attending a gathering in the district. Another time, Muhammad Usman was sick, and I chose not to vaccinate him, fearing it might worsen his condition. On another occasion, my son was asleep when the vaccinators arrived, and I didn’t want to wake him. Every time, I found an excuse, and now I’m facing the consequences,” he says.

Abdul Sami says that every time he sees his son’s suffering, he is consumed by guilt and tormented by his conscience.

“My son had just started to take his first steps and was healthy, but one night he developed a high fever, and after that, he couldn’t walk anymore. When I took him to the doctor, it was confirmed that he was paralyzed. Now, every night, I carry him to the bathroom in my arms, and during the day, I take him outside the house so he doesn’t feel lonely,” he adds.

 

Muhammad Usman fell victim to the poliovirus just as he had started to take his first steps. This virus not only robbed him of the ability to walk but also destroyed his dreams. © Polio Free Afghanistan/2024/Marzia Frotan

 

A Lesson for Others

This negligence was a bitter experience for Abdul Sami, one he now strives never to repeat.

He has ensured that his four other children are regularly vaccinated so they do not face Muhammad Usman’s fate.

“Every time I look at my son’s difficult condition, I feel like an innocent child has paid the price for my negligence. Now I urge everyone to take their children’s vaccinations seriously. This disease is preventable—no one should endure the pain my son has suffered,” he says.

 

A Message of Hope and Awareness

Despite his pain and regrets, Muhammad Usman has a clear message for families: “I have only one wish: that no child ends up like me. I ask all parents to vaccinate their children. I can’t play or go to school anymore, but maybe I can help save other children’s lives.”

Muhammad Usman’s story is one of loss and longing, but above all, it is a story of awareness and hope—a hope that, through vaccination, no child will ever be deprived of running, playing, and building their future.

Marzia Frotan, Polio Free Afghanistan