Kandahar, Afghanistan—Helping eradicate the polio virus in Afghanistan has become a part of midwife Nargis's day-to-day work at the Family Health House (FHH). Still, she realized that the work does not start with administering the oral vaccine to children. Instead, the first step is educating the parents.

"I remember a time when I was about to give oral polio vaccine to a child, the mother suddenly hesitated,” Nargis recalled. When asked why, the mother said she had heard of the vaccine's adverse effects on children.

“When that happens, I take it as an opportunity to educate parents so they can make informed decisions for their child's health,” Nargis said. 

A community health worker referred the three-year-old child to the FHH due to malnutrition. During the child’s treatment, Nargis learned that the child had not received the polio vaccine, so she offered the oral drops. The mother initially said yes but changed her mind just as Nargis was about to give the vaccine to the child.

"My neighbour’s son got sick for days after receiving the oral polio vaccine. I don’t want the same thing to happen to my son,” the mother explained.

Nargis took the time to explain the importance of the vaccine and how it could protect children from the polio virus, which can cause serious diseases, including paralysis. The midwife mentioned that slight side effects, such as fever, are normal after the vaccination.

The mother appreciated the information and sought her husband's agreement to have their child vaccinated. In addition to such one-on-one discussions with parents, the FHH mobilizes community health workers to villages to educate communities about the polio vaccine and its benefits, especially among children under five years old, to eradicate the disease.