Celina Sebastião: The Voice of Those Who Want to See All the Children Run.

Imagine a sunny afternoon. The sound of laughter echoes through the street: children jump rope, kick improvised balls, and run as if the world had no end. Now, imagine one of these children sitting in the shade, watching everything from a window or a bench, feeling the weight of a body that does not follow the rhythm of the heart.

This is not a fictional scene. Unfortunately, it is the reality experienced by many adults who, due to polio, have seen the opportunity to have a full childhood stolen.

Many of us have memories of skinned knees and breathtaking play. Celina Sebastião would like to be able to say that her childhood was like that. I would like to tell you that she jumped rope and played ball like the other children. "But that's not true," he confesses, with a courage that touches deeply.

At the age of two, a phase of discoveries and first steps, polio crossed Selina's path. The virus, invisible and relentless, left irreversible marks, paralyzing his lower limbs.

What followed were not only doctor's appointments, but also the emotional pain of growing up to see the world in motion, while she was forced to stay behind. Polio didn't just affect his body; He tried, day after day, to steal his joy. Facing stigma and exclusion from other children was the unfair price of a disease that could have been prevented.

Celina Sebastião's story is not just a testimony of overcoming; It is an urgent alert. She survived, fought and today lends her voice to thousands of people, so that no child has to live the same isolation.

Polio is a serious disease, and its greatest tragedy is that it can be prevented.

With the commitment to keep the country free of infantile paralysis, the Ministry of Health (MINSA), in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, informs that a new stage of the vaccination campaign against Poliomyelitis (Infantile Paralysis) is being carried out.

The campaign, synchronized with the Democratic Republic of Congo, will take place over three days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, on May 22, 23, and 24.

The vaccine is safe, free, and administered orally, consisting of only two drops.

Fathers, mothers, and guardians: we are talking about just two drops. Two drops that protect play. Two drops that preserve the freedom to walk.

For a child from 0 to 5 years old, these two drops make all the difference between a life with autonomy and a life marked by physical and emotional limitations. There are only two drops, but in them there is hope for a healthy future.

Vaccination is the only effective way to prevent this serious disease, which can cause irreversible paralysis.

In the demanding pace of everyday life, it is easy to forget that the vaccine is one of the most powerful gestures of protection we can offer to those we love most. Vaccinating is not only a public health responsibility, but it is, above all, an act of love.

During the campaign, vaccinators will conduct door-to-door visits to reach all children aged 0 to 5, regardless of their vaccination history. Even children with a cough or mild flu can and should be vaccinated.

Therefore, on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of May, families are invited to open the doors of their homes. Open the door to your home and allow the vaccinators to administer the two drops of the polio vaccine to your child.

By vaccinating their children, families reinforce their commitment to the health and protection of each child. It is as if the parents were saying: "Son, I protect your future. I guarantee your steps. I make sure you never have to look at the world from the outside, wishing for the childhood that a virus could steal from you."

Celina Sebastião turned her pain into a mission of awareness. She reminds us that polio may be silent, but its consequences echo throughout life.

Do not deprive your child of the right to live his childhood to the full.

Remember: polio has no cure, but it can be prevented. Recalls Celina.

The gesture he makes today guarantees firm and happy steps tomorrow.

Vaccinate. Protect. Love.