“I couldn’t walk because of polio, so my brother used to carry my bag to school every day. When other children were playing at school, I could only watch them and feel sad. It was very disappointing. That is why I took up the vaccinator course to help protect children from this crippling disease called polio.”
Growing up with a polio disability, Masood found strength and purpose in serving his community and protecting children from the disabling disease that has shaped his life. He is one of over 14 000 vaccinators supported by WHO as part of the Pakistan Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). He has been working as a vaccinator for 10 years, providing routine vaccinations, including polio drops, to children at the Civil Dispensary in the Garhi Atta Muhammad area of Peshawar.
Masood’s job as a vaccinator is a central plank of Pakistan’s drive to eradicate polio in Peshawar, a poliovirus hotspot and hub of further transmission. His activities supplement the work of over 400 000 volunteer polio vaccinators who, multiple times a year, go from door to door immunizing more than 45 million children against paralytic polio. Since 1994, vaccinators like Masood have contributed to reducing polio cases by 99.6% across the country – from an estimated 20,000 cases to 74 in 2024.
Masood navigates the narrow streets of Peshawar – and his daily work – with the help of family and friends who have been a solid support throughout his life. Since he cannot walk long distances, he works at a fixed EPI site. A friend brings him to work and drops him home every day on a motorbike.
“I am grateful to the communities that cooperate and bring their children for vaccination. I am also grateful to my family, who have always stood by me and supported me in my decisions,” says Masood.
At the Civil Dispensary, Masood vaccinates an estimated 3000 children every year. But his role goes beyond vaccination. He also serves as a powerful advocate for immunization. When parents hesitate or refuse vaccines for their children, Masood steps in, not just as a health worker but as someone who has endured the harsh reality of a preventable lifelong disease.
“I encourage parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated on time so that they can prevent these diseases. Vaccine-preventable diseases sometimes have no treatment and can result in total disability or death. I give myself as an example: Look at me, I say, and the pain I endure. If you don’t vaccinate, the same could befall your child, leaving their life incomplete.”
