How a polio surveillance officer helps stop the virus before it causes paralysis
Islamabad, Pakistan:
Every day, Dr. Nosheen Safdar searches for a virus that cannot be seen. As a Divisional Polio Surveillance Officer in Islamabad, her job is to detect poliovirus before it has a chance to paralyse a child.
Her work takes her from sewage collection sites to hospitals and family homes. Every sample she reviews and every child she examines helps Pakistan move one step closer to ending polio. Searching for the Virus Dr. Nosheen begins her day at one of Islamabad's environmental surveillance sites. Wearing protective clothing, health workers collect sewage samples that are sent to the laboratory for testing.
These samples help detect the presence of polio in the community, even before a child develops symptoms.
"Testing sewage water for the presence of poliovirus is very important," Dr. Nosheen explained. "It tells us whether children in an area are at risk of polio."
Following Every Clue
Later in the day, Dr. Nosheen visits hospitals to search for children showing signs of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP). It is one of the main signs of polio.
Dr. Nosheen carefully reviews hospital records. She speaks with doctors and nurses, and checks whether suspected cases have been reported correctly. When a child with paralysis is identified, she gathers medical information. She reviews the child's vaccination history and arranges for stool samples to be collected for laboratory testing.
"The poliovirus lives in the intestines," she said. "Only through testing stool samples from children with paralysis can we determine whether polio is the cause."
Supporting Families
Dr. Nosheen's work does not end at the hospital. She also visits families to follow up with children who have experienced paralysis.
During one visit, she met a young girl with partial facial paralysis. After a detailed follow-up examination, the child had fully recovered.
For Dr. Nosheen, moments like these bring hope while reinforcing the importance of strong surveillance and early detection.
Protecting Every Child
At the end of each day, Dr. Nosheen returns to the Islamabad Polio Control Room to review findings with colleagues and plan the next day's work.
"It's important that we meet daily," she said. "We discuss cases that need attention and identify what can be improved."
Although her work often happens behind the scenes, it plays a vital role in protecting children from polio. By finding the virus early and responding quickly, surveillance officers help stop transmission before more children are affected.
As she heads home to her own family, Dr. Nosheen knows another day of tracking the virus awaits. Her commitment is helping build a healthier future and bringing Pakistan one step closer to a polio-free future.
