Dr. Tufail Ahmed, Health Specialist
Community Health Worker Shaheen Bibi’s Unshaken Resolve to End Polio in the Face of Tragedy
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Community Health Worker (CHW) Shaheen Bibi has spent more than a decade helping protect children from polio. She also works as a part-time traditional birth attendant in her village. As the sole breadwinner of her family, she supports her husband and helps pay for her son's education.
One rainy winter morning, despite being more than six months pregnant, Shaheen set out for another day of the national polio campaign. Wrapped against the cold, she began the five-kilometre journey to Kulachi Wala village. When her assigned teammate could not reach the area because of the weather, her 20-year-old son, Inamullah, accompanied her.
A Tragic Loss
The rain made the narrow village roads muddy and slippery. As Shaheen continued her journey, she lost her footing and fell. Soon afterwards, she went into labour. With the support of women from the community, she delivered a premature baby boy who did not survive.
After hearing what had happened, Chairman of the Union Council Polio Eradication Committee (UPEC), Qamar Abbas and district officials rushed to her support.
"We saw Shaheen Bibi carrying her dead child in a handbag wrapped with plastic in one hand and a vaccine carrier in the other. The heartbreaking sight shook everyone present there. We insisted her for a medical check-up in the hospital, but she just wanted to go home and said 'nothing more could be done now.' Later, the child was given a proper burial," said Qamar Abbas, Chairman of the Union Council Polio Eradication Committee (UPEC).
“I conceived after twenty years. My husband and I were immensely happy; it was nothing less than a miracle. We planned to name him Qismatullah,” said Shaheen. “I have sacrificed my own child for the well-being of other children of Pakistan,” she continued with tears in her eyes.
Dedication to Protect Children
Shaheen is one of many female frontline workers who continue to protect children from polio across Pakistan. They walk long distances, visit homes, build trust with families, and make sure children receive life-saving vaccines in difficult conditions.
"This story needs to be heard and shared further. Sacrificing a child to save a nation, indeed, Shaheen is the true hero of the Polio Programme. Her strength and determination to continue working for the programme bewilder me. We must not forget Qismat, the first unborn martyr of the Polio Programme in Pakistan," said Dr. Tufail Ahmed, Health Specialist, Peshawar.
Over the years, thousands of frontline workers have supported Pakistan's efforts to end polio. Many have continued serving despite personal hardship, while others have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Shaheen's story reflects the dedication of frontline workers across Pakistan who continue working to ensure every child is protected from polio.
