Linda Takes the Fight Against Polio Door to Door in South Sudan
With her baby on her back, Linda Patrick, a mother of five, braves the scorching sun in Kator Payam, Juba, to help protect children from polio, one household at a time
The afternoon sun beats down on Kator Payam, but Linda Patrick keeps moving. A vaccination carrier in one hand, an umbrella in the other hand to shield the sun, and her one-year-old son, Alfred Samuel, strapped to her back. The 32-year-old mother walks from door to door, determined to ensure that no child under 5 is missed in South Sudan’s fight against polio. For Linda, the work is personal. She is not only a vaccinator protecting other people’s children; she is a mother carrying her own child along as she works.
I believe every child deserves protection against polio.For me, vaccination is more than a job. It is a responsibility to mothers, families and the future of the children of South Sudan.
Linda began working as a vaccinator in 2022, after First Aid training with the South Sudan Red Cross. Today, as part of the team in the national polio vaccination campaign, she is bringing life-saving protection directly to families across Kator Payam in the capital Juba.
With her older children at school and no one available to care for Alfred, leaving her baby behind is not an option. So, mother and son make their rounds together. At each doorstep, Linda joins her team members in speaking with parents and caregivers, explaining the importance of vaccination and encouraging them to bring forward eligible children. Her own experience of motherhood helps her connect with families who share the same hopes and concerns for their children’s health and wellbeing.
When the first round of the national campaign began from 13 -16 October, Alfred was among the first children to receive the polio vaccine. For Linda, it was a simple but powerful demonstration of the trust she places in the protection she is helping deliver. Her work comes at a critical moment when cases of polio have been detected in South Sudan, underscoring the urgency of reaching children with vaccination and identifying any further spread of the virus.
In solidarity with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, UNICEF is working alongside the Government of South Sudan through the Ministry of Health and partners to stop the spread of the poliovirus through routine immunization, vaccination campaigns and community engagement. These efforts help reach every child with quality, life-saving vaccines and reflect the message of World Polio Day observed annually on 24 October: “One day, one focus: Ending polio for good.” This message is a reminder that ending polio depends on collective action, from governments and health workers to parents, community leaders, volunteers and families. Vaccination protects children, while strong surveillance helps detect and respond to the virus.
For Linda, the global goal takes shape in the streets of her community, in conversations with hesitant caregivers and in the children, she helps to reach every day. Her commitment also highlights the often-unseen effort behind vaccination campaigns: frontline workers travelling from home to home, building trust and overcoming practical challenges to protect children. For women like Linda, that work means balancing the demands of service with the responsibilities of motherhood.
As South Sudan works to stop poliovirus transmission, Linda continues her rounds with Alfred on her back and a clear purpose ahead. Every child reached brings the country one step closer to a polio-free future.
This is what it means to be an End Polio Hero: showing up, building trust and helping ensure that no child is left behind.
