Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s New Documentary Highlights Women in Pakistan’s Polio Fight

Karachi: SOC Films, led by two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, has launched a new documentary, Across Every Doorway, to mark World Polio Day on October 24, 2026.

The film follows four women working in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Islamabad, offering a close look at the persistence, courage and commitment behind Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio.

Across Every Doorway focuses on the work being carried out in communities, campaign supervision and laboratory testing. It highlights the challenges faced in protecting children, including vaccination refusals, misinformation, lack of trust and the task of tracking the virus in difficult and uncertain conditions.

“Behind every door is a family, a conversation, and a child whose future deserves to be protected,” said Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Founder and CEO of SOC Films.

“Across Every Doorway tells the stories of the extraordinary women working tirelessly to protect children from polio, often in the face of immense challenges. From doorsteps to communities to laboratories, their determination is what drives this effort forward. Through this film, we want to honour their courage, bring visibility to their often unseen work, and remind the world that the responsibility to protect every child belongs to all of us,” she added.

In Karachi, the documentary features Fouzia Ahmed, a Union Council Area Supervisor with the WHO Polio Programme. She is shown preparing vaccination teams, coordinating with local officials and visiting homes where families are hesitant to vaccinate their children. As a mother, Fouzia brings professional determination as well as personal conviction to her work, while supporting colleagues who deal with insults, misinformation and concerns about their safety.

In Rawalpindi, the film follows Dr Shumaila Akbar, an Area Coordinator with the WHO Polio Programme, whose role includes monitoring campaigns, checking standards and identifying gaps. Her story also reflects the resolve needed to manage expectations around women’s roles while working irregular hours and travelling as part of her duties.

In Peshawar, Laiba Ijaz, a Community Health Worker in Union Council Lahori, works to ensure that every child is reached, including newborns and children from families who have recently moved into the area. Laiba left school to support her family after her father fell ill and later passed away. The documentary shows how work that began out of necessity developed into a commitment to serving her community.

In Islamabad, Dr Riqba Akhtar, a Virology and Immunology Laboratory Scientist, explains how environmental and human samples are tested for signs of the poliovirus. Her work links scientific surveillance with field action, providing findings that support campaign monitoring and the broader eradication effort.

The documentary looks at how mistrust, online rumours, social pressures and operational difficulties affect vaccination drives. It also shows the detailed efforts made to win support from doctors, religious leaders and local authorities, underlining how continuous dialogue can help change attitudes and open doors.

Launched on World Polio Day, Across Every Doorway pays tribute to the women helping to carry Pakistan’s polio eradication work forward. The film also invites viewers to recognise the human effort involved in protecting children from the disease.

Its closing message reflects the shared conviction of the women it follows: “Every drop counts. Every child matters. That is why we keep going.”