News Desk
KARACHI :Two-time Academy Award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and SOC Films have launched a new documentary _Across Every Doorway_ to mark World Polio Day, spotlighting women on the frontline of Pakistan’s polio eradication drive.
The film follows four women across Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Islamabad, documenting their efforts in community engagement, campaign oversight and lab surveillance amid misinformation, refusals and safety challenges.
“Behind every door is a family, a conversation, and a child whose future deserves to be protected,” said Obaid-Chinoy. The film aims to honour often-unseen work and remind that protecting every child is a collective responsibility.
In Karachi, WHO Union Council Supervisor Fouzia Ahmed prepares vaccination teams and visits hesitant households. In Rawalpindi, WHO Area Coordinator Dr. Shumaila Akbar monitors campaigns and navigates gendered expectations around women’s work. In Peshawar, Community Health Worker Laiba Ijaz of UC Lahori ensures no child — including newborns and newcomers — is missed, turning necessity after her father’s illness into community service. In Islamabad, virologist Dr. Riqba Akhtar shows how environmental and human samples are tested to guide campaigns.
The documentary highlights efforts to counter online rumours, build trust with doctors, religious leaders and local officials, and shows how dialogue opens doors. It closes with: “Every drop counts. Every child matters. That is why we keep going.”
