Parents negligence pushed minor into permanent disability

Sheer negligence of parents to timely vaccinate their nine-month-old daughter against polio made her contract the disease and become disable for the rest of her life. Minor Sofia, now 12, feels hurt on seeing her siblings running and playing different games in streets because she cannot join them due to her disability caused by crippling polio disease. Sofia was a normal child but at the age of just nine months, she contracted polio as she was not vaccinated,” said the parents while narrating ordeal of the poor girl to APP.
“I am a poor man, and earn two time meal that is why I ignored vaccinating my daughter,” said Abdullah Jan, father of Sofia who works at a Qehwa Khana (Cafeteria) and resides at Dhaki Hameed Khan near Qissa Khawani bazar in the interior city. But, lame accuses does not simply work when it comes to impact adversely someone’s life.
Sofia has four brothers and one sister and all are normal as they were administered polio drops. Her parent say they took all pains and did a lot within their meager financial resources for recovery of their child, but in vain.
“We took her to different hospitals and centers built for rehabilitation of polio affected children, but our efforts remained fruitless,” said the dejected parents.
The polio affected Sofia crawls for moving one place to another inside her home. She is often seen sitting in the door desperately watching children playing in the street,” said Abdur Razzaq, resident of the area.
Polio has paralysed her left leg while her right leg is normal that helps her stand up, not walk, informed her mother.
“It terrifies me when I think of her days ahead ....no one could be blamed for all his, be we,” said the grieved mother.
She said she carried Sofia in her lap when she was minor, but now as she has grown up her father and brothers pick up on their back which is very saddening for all of us,” she added.
“The biggest worry for us is that when we will die who will lift the burden of Sofia and extend support to let her live,” she said.
Abdullah Jan said his limited resources barred him to send his children to schools, however, he gave attention on imparting religious education to them.
But, Sofia then remained unfortunate as she could not get religious eduction for her teacher said she was weak and could not give due attention to studies. And, she had to wave off to seminary.
Provincial Manager, Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), Dr. Waheed Khan when contacted informed that provincial government has taken effective measures for immunization against this disease.
He disclosed that the number of polio cases in NWFP have been reduced to four which is a big achievement of government and departments concerned. He apprised that the provincial government spends around Rs.20 million on each three day polio drops vaccination campaign.He said parents ignore vaccinating their children against the disease as a result of which polio cases have been reported.
He said misconception about Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) also affected the vaccination drive in some areas of NWFP and FATA. However, he said, wrong impression has been dispelled with religious scholars saying OPV was safe for human consumption and the only way to save children from permanent disability.
About the treatment of polio, Dr. Waheed said it is an incurable disease and the treatment extended to polio patients including therapy and exercise works if the patient is partially affected.
He requested the people to given due attention to vaccination of their children against polio disease and save them from permanent disability.

—Adeel Saeed (APP)