A Simple Shot, A Lifetime of Difference

My father became disabled at the age of five. He started his life like every other child, once in his life, there was a time when he could run around with his friends, carefree and full of energy. Seeing the world and enjoying the beauty of it. But that all changed one year when a simple yet deadly illness affected him: measles.

His parents had little knowledge about vaccinations, and even if they had known, there were no nearby medical facilities to provide the necessary care. That year, my father’s life was altered forever! He survived the measles, but the disease left him with a permanent visual disability

Growing up, this story was not just a cautionary story, but a painful reminder of how crucial vaccines are for children. Yet, even as I hear my father’s story, I see the same pattern repeating itself across Nigeria. Many children are still going through severe illnesses and living with disabilities that could have been prevented with a simple vaccine. The heartbreaking reality is that some parents neglect vaccinations, not out of choice or laziness, but due to a lack of knowledge.

In many rural areas of Nigeria, parents might not even know which vaccines their children need. The healthcare system fails to reach every nook and cranny of the country with essential information. This leads to dependence on assumptions and a dangerous spread of misinformation that leads to mistrust of vaccines. Without proper education and awareness, parents cannot make informed decisions, and the children suffer as a result.

Access to healthcare is another significant barrier. I volunteer in medical outreaches a lot and have seen the sad reality of Nigerians in rural areas. It's almost unbelievable!

In some parts of Nigeria, medical facilities are very far from the villages that need them. Even if a parent knows about the vaccines, getting to a clinic might be an insurmountable challenge. Some families have to travel miles to reach the nearest health centre, a journey that is often too long, you'd want to imagine how long the person will have to endure the pain of the ill health before they get to a hospital. It can be dangerous, or simply too expensive. For those in remote areas, the odds of receiving timely medication are very slim, which is unfortunate!

There is also the issue of affordability. Nigeria’s healthcare system is not always accessible to everyone, especially for the poor. Even when vaccines are available, the cost of healthcare can be a big barrier for lots of families. This leaves parents in a cruel dilemma: pay for basic needs like food and shelter or afford the healthcare their children desperately need. Often, the choice is not even theirs to make, as they are trapped in a cycle of poverty with no support.

As I look at my father and think about the millions of children across Nigeria who still face the threat of preventable diseases, I am reminded of how far we still have to go. As critical as the situation may look, some of these disabilities can be avoidable with proper knowledge, access to medical facilities, intentionality and responsiveness of parents and caregivers. Living a whole lifetime of disability knowing that a little more effort (a few thousand nairas, access to medical facilities or just a little more attentiveness from caregivers) would have made it avoidable is just disorienting.