Karima's "Mission Possible": Healthy futures for every child
With 15 years of experience as a vaccinator, Karima is on the frontlines of Afghanistan’s fight against preventable diseases and protecting children through immunisation
“The most painful thing for me is when I ask a mother if she has vaccinated her child, and she looks at me in surprise and says, ‘What is a vaccine?’”
For 15 years, Karima Azimi, a 42-year-old mother of eight, has been on the frontlines of public health as a vaccinator at Rawashan Comprehensive Health Centre in Herat province, western Afghanistan. Each day, she vaccinates an average of 50-55 children – which is more than most other vaccinators in her region.
“What has made 15 years of work feel easy is my passion and love for saving the lives of vulnerable children in my country,” she says with pride.
Each morning, after preparing breakfast and sending her children to school, Karima walks to the clinic. There, she provides vaccines, counsels mothers on the importance of immunization and good nutrition, and follows up with patients to ensure they are current on their vaccinations according to the schedule for their age group.
Rawashan Health Centre, located 14 kilometers from Herat city, serves a population of over 31,000 people, including more than 2,500 children.
With support from Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance and the Government of Japan, UNICEF ensures that Rawashan Clinic is equipped to provide the recommended vaccines for children up to age five.
This means solar refrigerators to ensure vaccines stay at the optimal cold temperature to be safe and effective. It means training for vaccinators like Karima, and educational materials she can use to educate parents on the importance of timely vaccination.
Afghanistan remains one of the top 20 countries with the highest number of zero-dose children. Today, only 16.2 per cent of children are fully immunized.
Karima points to several barriers that hinder immunisation efforts:
“Families often live very far from health facilities, so they do not always bring their children for their vaccines on time,” she says. “They also lack awareness on the importance of vaccines and their timelines, or fall victim to misinformation about vaccines.”
Yet Karima remains undeterred, because she knows immunisation is one of the most effective and affordable ways to protect children from life-threatening diseases.
In Afghanistan alone, vaccines are projected to prevent between 4.9 to 5.4 million deaths between 2021 and 2030, a powerful reminder of the lifesaving impact of Karima’s daily work.
Behind every vaccine dose delivered is a network of committed health workers like Karima.
At the Rawashan clinic, Karima gently finishes a long conversation with Kubra, the grandmother of a two-month-old boy, Binyamin.
After listening to her concerns and explaining the life-saving power of vaccines, Karima finally earns her trust.
As she prepares the vaccine, she says with smile, “Convincing a mother to vaccinate her child is never easy, but when I succeed, that is what keeps me going.”
