Iraq - Pays en crise
Real life accounts of Iraq's polio campaign
BAGHDAD, 15 September 2004 - Iraq's first Polio National Immunization campaign since the March 2003 invasion kicked off on 4 September. Vaccinators went door-to-door to immunize children despite harsh conditions and the ever-present risk of violence. The following are a few real life accounts of the campaign, from some of the campaign team members and from an Iraqi child and her parent.
A Personal Reason to Vaccinate
S.F. is a 38-year-old electrical engineer who brought her five-year-old daughter, Aya, to meet with the vaccinators. "I don't want Aya to miss her vaccination. When I was little, I felt sorry for our next-door neighbour Ali who was unable to walk or play with the other children. One day I asked my mother what was wrong with Ali. She told me that polio had damaged his muscles. Now, whenever I learn about the campaign from TV or radio, I welcome vaccinators in my home and tell other mothers who might miss the announcements about the campaign schedule."
5-year-old Aya says the polio vaccine is not at all tasty. "It's better than injection. I don't know why I need to take these drops, but mommy told me that I won't be enrolled in kindergarten unless I do. I am so eager to go to kindergarten to play with the other children on slides and swings, and learn songs and play with toys."
Supervising the campaign
Dr. H.J., a doctor and chief supervisor of the polio campaign in a crowded Baghdad neighbourhood, recounts his recent experiences.
"I supervise everything related to the polio campaign in this area, including personnel, deployment of the vaccination teams, supplies and logistics. Unfortunately, this year our task is much harder because of the misinformation being circulated in hundreds of tabloids. People are influenced by the rumours, especially amidst the ongoing chaos and uncertainty in the country.
"In the wake of the recent war, there has been a massive internal displacement of families who fled fighting in their provinces and came to settle down in areas which are considered to be high-risk. This has created difficulty for health authorities who are trying to achieve full coverage and reporting accuracy.
"In this campaign, vaccination teams face many difficulties as a result of the insecure situation. Yesterday, an explosive charge went off in one of the districts and the military cordoned off the area. The vaccinators were stuck inside and their supervisors were unable to reach them for four hours, thus spoiling the work for a whole day.
"In another district, vaccination teams were stopped by US military and their cold store containers were inspected for explosives. While moving from door-to-door, some vaccinators heard heavy shooting and explosions coming from a nearby source, and were forced to withdraw. Sewage flooding in most of the streets is another problem. Unable to move in the streets, vaccination teams resort to loudspeakers to call on families to bring their children outside.
"We are duty bound to stay beyond working hours to check with each returning team and consolidate inputs from all teams. I remain worried about my teams, especially the female doctors and volunteers, and do stay until they return back safely."
Medical professionals support the campaign
Dr. L.T., a dentist, has to date participated in 6 Polio National Immunization Days (PNID). "My role in the ongoing campaign is to supervise vaccination teams and check for accuracy at each step. The vaccination teams' outer appearance and communication skills are pivotal to the campaign's success. Team composition is equally important; the 2-person team usually consists of one male and one female."
Dr. M.A.R., a 42-year-old ophthalmologist, says that this is the first time he has taken part in a PNID. "It's exhausting, but I feel that I am doing a humanitarian service for our kids. I have decided to join future campaigns if they are going to be conducted. Today, when I knocked on the door of a local home, the woman inside answered from a small window saying her husband told her not to open the door to anyone, especially strangers. She said that if I must vaccinate her child, I would have to wait until he came home from work, or I would have to come back on Friday."
