Ayesha Raza is a polio survivor from Lahore who now serves as a polio vaccinator, joining about 400,000 WHO-supported vaccinators across Pakistan to reach every child. Despite her own mobility challenges, she goes door to door during campaigns to ensure children receive life-saving protection and to strengthen community trust in immunisation efforts.
“It’s not easy for me to walk during polio campaigns, but I cannot miss the chance to bring hope and resilience to the children of Pakistan.” Her words reflect the determination of many field workers who combine personal experience with public service to keep vaccination drives moving in urban and rural neighbourhoods.
These campaigns are coordinated through partnerships that include the World Health Organization and its Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative, End Polio Now initiatives, United Nations support in Pakistan, Rotary International, and the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination in Islamabad. The backing of these organisations helps equip every polio vaccinator with supplies, training and logistical support needed to reach vulnerable families.
The work of Ayesha and her peers underscores why sustaining vaccination momentum is essential. As a polio vaccinator she not only delivers doses but also builds confidence in communities, demonstrating resilience and local ownership of the effort to end polio in Pakistan.
