Julia Paredes: The mexican nurse who crossed mountains to bring vaccines and hope

Reaching the most isolated communities

T
o enter indigenous communities and provide medical care, Julia adopted the traditional clothing of the Tarahumara, a Mexican indigenous group, and learned some words in their language. "I dressed as a Tarahumara and went to both indigenous and mestizo communities; sometimes I walked, but often I rode horseback, carrying a thermos filled with vaccines," she explains. Julia recounts traveling long distances on horseback, overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers to ensure that all people, regardless of their location, had access to immunization.

She fondly remembers "Pajarito," the horse that took her on those journeys. "The children would run and say, ‘There, there comes Julia!... they knew I was bringing them hope and that they wouldn’t get sick," she says. 

Facing challenges and providing solutions

In 1991, Julia faced what appeared to be a case of polio in the community of Las Papas. "We walked for a whole day to reach the town. There, we took samples and vaccinated about 15 Tarahumara children. Later, we discovered that it wasn’t polio. The child had eaten an herb called ‘cacachila,’ which caused flaccid paralysis," one of the most characteristic signs of polio.

Before obtaining the diagnosis, Julia had to return to the community to implement  vaccination and ensure that all children were protected. "I asked what they ate, collected herbs, and sent them to the lab, and that’s how we discovered which herb had caused the paralysis," she adds.

Geographical challenges and tireless effort

In Chihuahua, where Julia carries out her work, geographical challenges complicate the distribution of health services. With a vast territory and diverse topography—ranging from arid deserts to steep mountains—reaching all communities, especially the most remote ones, can be quite a challenge.

Long distances and harsh climatic conditions also hinder access to medical care and the distribution of vaccines, requiring coordinated and persistent efforts from health professionals.

Julia has many anecdotes of people saved by the rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin, which contains antibodies that help neutralize the rabies virus before it causes harm. 'I attended patients who had been attacked by bats, skunks, or other animals. They would call me on the radio, and I’d go to wherever they were to administer post-exposure rabies prophylaxis.' Sometimes, she would walk long distances, and although some patients did not survive due to their critical condition at the time of arrival, when they did survive, it brought her great joy.

The origin of her vocation and love for public health

Julia's connection with public health began fortuitously when, at the age of 16, she helped a medical intern in the town of Batopilas, Chihuahua, on the border with Sinaloa. This experience led her to discover her passion for health and medicine.

Originally from Cerro Colorado, a municipality of Batopilas, Chihuahua, Julia grew up in an area with limited access to medical care. This reality drove her to commit even more to her work, becoming a vital figure in providing health services in her community and beyond. In fact, she says that she single-handedly assisted in 1,500 births and is the godmother of 25 children.

Thanks to the work of Julia, thousands of health workers, and authorities across the Americas, as well as the support of organizations like the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the region regained its status as free of endemic measles this month. This achievement is part of the PAHO Elimination Initiative, which aims to end more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions by 2030.

Over the course of her 30-year career, Julia has witnessed great advances in public health. "I saw how vaccines reached the most remote localities, how people began to understand the importance of vaccination, and how we stopped people from dying of measles," she says. "I’d like to be remembered with a vaccine thermos on the streets, talking to people and telling them that vaccines save lives."