Afghanistan: Saving people from polio

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Polio is a dangerous and infectious disease which can lead to paralysis or even death. It can be prevented with a simple vaccine, which has been effectively used in Afghanistan thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Public Health. As a result, polio cases have been dramatically reduced. Afghan officials, with the support of several United Nations agencies, are working hard to identify and prevent all the polio cases across the country. In Balkh province, 2,224 male and female volunteers are working to provide the vaccine through a door to door campaign, ensuring that all children under 5-years-old are vaccinated. “Polio appears typically among children because their body resistance and immune system is weak. Children are usually the first ones in the community to get the disease. With this campaign we are hoping to vaccinate 415,000 children across the province,” said Dr. Basir Ahmad Fazli, responsible for the polio vaccination campaign in the northern provinces. “In my team there are 18 male and female volunteer workers. They are qualified and professionally trained so they are able to properly vaccinate children. My work is to coordinate and check that our goals are accomplished,” explained Ahmad. “In the past few years we have been announcing and promoting our vaccination campaigns only in mosques, but now our vaccination teams go from door to door to make sure no children are left behind. Fortunately in Mazar-e Sharif we haven’t had any positive polio cases since 2010,” he added. The volunteer workers enjoy helping the people, because with a simple vaccine they are providing protection from a deadly disease, and therefore are ensuring the future of many Afghan children. “I have been working as a volunteer since 2010. We know that polio can be fatal, but with this vaccine it can be effectively avoided. We will work hard to cover all the areas of our duty station,” said 24-year-old Waheedullah, a young volunteer from Balkh province. Although volunteers are visiting every household in their areas of work, it is also the responsibility of every family to make sure their children get vaccinated. “When I heard on the news about the polio vaccination campaign I decided to vaccinate my one-year-old son. It is my responsibility to keep my child safe and take care of him,” explained 42-year-old Sadruding, a Mazar-e-Sharif resident.