Julia: the nurse in love with vaccines, who saves indigenous people in Mexico

“When I was 17, I went to a town called Loreto, there I saw how girls, boys and adults were buried because of measles,” remembers Julia Paredes López when it comes to telling how her vocation began.

She is now state supervisor of the Universal Vaccination Program in Chihuahua. His commitment to public health It was forged with the experiences accumulated in her more than three decades as a nurse.

That experience marked her at a very early age. “That’s why I’m in love with vaccines and I always tell people that vaccines save lives“emphasizes Julia, 50 years old and who shares her story with UN Mexico within the framework of the recently held International Nursing Day (May 12) to talk about his journey and how preventable diseases can have a profound impact on communities and the importance of immunization.

On another occasion, in 1991, he faced what appeared to be a case of polio. “We walked for a whole day to reach the town called Las Papas. There we took samples and vaccinated about 15 Tarahumara children. Then it turned out that it was not polio, the boy had eaten a herb called cacachila and it was what caused flaccid paralysis,” he explains.

Before having the diagnosis, the nurse had to return to the community to perform a vaccination fence. “I asked what the children ate, I collected herbs and they sent them to the laboratory and it was found which herb they had eaten,” she adds.

Perseverance and conviction

In Chihuahua, a state in northern Mexico that borders the United States, Geographic challenges complicate the distribution of health services. With a considerable land area and diverse topography ranging from arid deserts to rugged mountains, reaching all communities, especially the most remote ones, can be a challenge.

Long distances and weather conditions can also make access to health care and vaccine distribution difficult, requiring a coordinated and persistent effort by health professionals like Julia, who He has not hesitated to ride a horse or walk for days to reach the towns that need to be attended to.

“I have many anecdotes and stories of people who were saved with the rabies vaccine. I treated patients who were attacked by bats, skunks or other animals… They spoke to me on the radio and I went to where they were to apply immunoglobulin. I had to walk a lot and sometimes when the patients arrived they were already in a very depressed general state and could not be saved, but “When they did do it, it was a great joy,” the nurse says.

His connection with public health began by chance when, at the age of 16, provided support to a medical intern in the town of Batopilas, Chihuahua, which is located on the border with Sinaloa. This experience led her to discover her passion for health and medicine.

Commitment to public health

Originally from Cerro Colorado, municipality of Batopilas, Chihuahua, Julia grew up in an environment where medical care was scarce. This reality prompted her to commit even more to her work, becoming a vital figure in the provision of health services in her community and beyond. She alone attended 1,500 births and is the baptismal godmother of 25 girls and boys.

In order to enter indigenous communities, He adopted traditional clothing and learned a few words, With this he was able to gain the trust of the people and provide them with medical care. He has traveled long distances on horseback to vaccinate the Tarahumara and other remote communities, overcoming language and cultural barriers to ensure everyone has access to vaccines.

It has also been witness the evolution of the vaccination program over the years, facing challenges such as decreased coverage and the spread of false information on social networks.

In this context, recognizes the crucial role played by Pan American Health Organization (OPS) in strengthening vaccination programs in Mexico and throughout the Region of the Americas to guarantee the health of the population.

Julia is proof of the transformative power of dedication and commitment to public health, a reminder that even in the most difficult circumstances, Every effort to promote vaccination can make the difference between life and death.