My son is fascinated by superheroes. He watches all the new movies and loves playing with his action figures. And with good reason – heroes are important symbols of defending others and promoting justice, so that good, ultimately, triumphs over evil.
But not all heroes are fictional. There are some real-life heroes who work behind the scenes, who have been shielding us from the villainous threat of deadly diseases for decades. Unseen and unheard, these protectors are silently striving every day to preserve the one thing most important to us – our health.
These real-life protectors come in all shapes and sizes. And they often play complementary roles, working together to serve a single purpose. Take for example, scientists, researchers and medical experts, who use their vast knowledge and expertise to find new ways to protect us, trying to find solutions to age-old problems.
They work tirelessly for years behind the scenes, developing cures and preventive tools, like vaccines. It’s due to their efforts that we managed to eradicate smallpox worldwide, a disease that claimed thousands of lives, of children and adults alike, until only a few decades ago. Even more recently, scientists in India developed and produced a vaccine for a leading cause of severe diarrhea, which was responsible for tens of thousands of deaths and many more illnesses in the country.
Then there are other heroes, who tackle different parts of the problem. There are innovators designing technological solutions that are helping more and more communities around the world to access life-saving medical tools like immunization.
There are community health workers, who put themselves on the frontline, braving rough terrain and inhospitable weather, to ensure that vaccines reach children living in remote areas across the country. Stories of their dedication and drive to go beyond the call of duty are truly humbling.
It’s because of these heroes that India has made significant progress in improving child health in the last two decades. Today, a child is three times more likely to survive to age five than in 1990. The country’s immunization programme is one of the largest in the world, in terms of the number of beneficiaries, geographical spread, and diversity of areas covered.
And while what these heroes – from scientists, doctors, healthcare workers and policymakers – have achieved is incredible, there is another category of heroes who are often overlooked.
Parents Are Superheroes Who Protect Their Kids By Immunizing Them
Parents, like you and me.
Parents who are committed to protecting their kids from preventable, yet serious and even deadly, diseases like measles, pneumonia and diarrhea. Parents who, by immunizing their children with all their recommended vaccines, are not only protecting their own kids but also ensuring that the entire community is protected.
By preventing illness, vaccines also have broader benefits, like supporting children’s cognitive and physical development, helping to ensure they miss fewer school days. In the long term, this can lead to increased productivity, lower health care costs, and economic growth, both for the nation and families.
They say it takes a village to raise a child. Each and every hero working to make the world safer for our kids deserve appreciation. For us parents, the way to do this is to recognize their hard work and make sure it pays off.
This World Immunization Week, be a hero to your children. Vaccinate them and maybe soon diseases that worry us today will be gone for good.
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