Saving Precious Lives Through Timely Vaccination

In the serene yet remote Village of Abdul Latif Chandani, UC Kothi, District Sujawal, a 4-years-old boy named Zubair, son of Ahmed Chandani, was suffering from a prolonged illness (Chest Infection), Zubair’s parents decided to take him to the nearest hospital, where a doctor advised a series of vaccinations. This recommendation was met with hesitation by Zubair’s family.

The outreach workers of MERF visited this far flung village. Their mission was to educate the villagers about the critical importance of vaccinations, not only for Zubair but for all children in the community. The team organized multiple awareness sessions, patiently addressing concerns, dispelling myths, and sharing stories of lives saved through vaccinations. Despite their continuous efforts, the villagers remained largely unmoved.

Propelled by the unwavering commitment of the team and his son’s deteriorating health. Zubair’s father decided to listen to their advice. After much contemplation and discussion with his family, Zubair’s father made the courageous decision to vaccinate his son, breaking the cycle of resistance in the village. Consequently, the vaccinators promptly administered the necessary vaccines.

Followed by vaccination, the team also performed Baby Zubair’s anthropometry through MUAC tape and identified him as malnourished with a Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) measuring a concerning 9.8 cm. Zubair was referred to BHU Kothi where he was checked for nutrition-related complications, any missed vaccinations, and other health problems. At the BHU, he was also given Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) as per recommended protocol.

Bi-weekly follow up visits were conducted to Zubair’s house for checking on his health. Due to regular intake of RUTF for 2 months Zubair’s MUAC continued to improve over time eventually reaching 10.8 cm.

“We were so scared and unsure about vaccinations, but seeing Zubair getting better after the vaccination has allayed all our fears. Travelling away from our village is challenging and expensive. If these people (outreach workers) have not reached out to us it would have been nearly impossible for us to vaccinate our son,” said Ahmed Chandani.

Zubair Ahmed’s journey from illness to recovery stands as a powerful testament to the life-saving impact of vaccinations and nutritional support. This success story also highlights the crucial role of persistent and compassionate healthcare advocacy in transforming community health practices.

MERF, with technical and financial support of UNICEF, is providing standardized Primary Health Care (PHC) services at community and health facility level to targeted population of selected UCs of Thatta and Sujawal, Sindh. The aim is to reduce maternal and under five morbidities, mortalities, and disabilities with improved access to life saving health services.