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“My son was an angel – he had a short life in which he positively influenced the lives of many children,” said a teary-eyed Yousaf Khan, father of Sajidullah, 25, a local Vaccine Hero from Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who lost his life in a road accident in April 2019 – as he was on duty for his regular outreach visits.

The elaborate plan of resource mobilization to maximize the benefits of the existing facilities was complemented by effective awareness raising communication campaigns to increase demand for routine immunization. This allowed Dr Zakir and his team to push the immunization coverage of Bahawalpur district to 91% in 2018. “I still believe in the power of prevention and that we can cover that remaining 9%,” he laughed, “it is no longer a job, but a passion for me now.”

It has been 27 years and they have become my family now,” claims Fareed, a 55-year old vaccinator working for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in the challenging area of Kati Pahari, Karachi.

Under the harsh summer weather of Lakhra in District Lasbela, Balochistan, Qadir Bux travels on foot to reach communities in remote areas with a single motivation fueling his drive – saving the lives of children!

Dr Arsalan’s innovative idea of analyzing the area’s problems and dividing them into smaller fragments led to the development of focused strategies. These smaller solutions ultimately resulted in a complete solution that resolved the immunization problem of Jamshed Town, and made Dr. Arsalan a vaccine hero for the community.

A 29-year old single woman living miles away from home, leading an immunization team comprising of 40 men in a large district of Balochistan – Mahgul Noor is the perfect embodiment of women’s empowerment in Pakistan.