View allAll Photos Tagged immunization
South Sudan, 2020: “To keep children healthy, parents must bring them to the health centres for vaccinations. That is how we prevent infections,” says Lucy, holding her boy Amin. The world has made such tremendous progress that, in 2018, 86% of the world’s children received the vaccines they need to grow up healthy. But unacceptable gaps remain. Here in South Sudan, just 44% of children receive the recommended vaccines. That leaves communities at serious risk of outbreaks and, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, an outbreak anywhere is a threat to countries everywhere. We are only as safe as the most vulnerable communities. So as we celebrate progress for children like Amin, we must also commit to reaching those who have been left behind.
© UNICEF/UNI314700/Ryeng
To learn more: UNICEF's Agenda for Action
ROBIN, HAITI - DECEMBER 16, 2014
Solita Melus (33) holds her baby, Orelus Kerlens Melus after he receives immunizations and is weighed by Ketcia Orilius (37), a community health worker in Haiti. Three months old, Orelus weighs in at 5 kilos, a weight that Ketcia will track on her tablet. Provided by USAID, these tablets are magnifying the work of Ketcia and other health workers in Haiti, allowing them to easily and efficiently store and track the health information and status of their patients. She will also use the tablet to record the vaccinations that she gives to Orelus, including diphtheria, TB, polio and meningitis. Ketcia became a community health worker after being nominated by her community. The training provided by USAID has empowered her to improve the health of women and children in her area and prepare kids for healthier, stronger futures. Solita, Orelus’ mom, could not be more appreciative. Referring to Ketcia, she says, “She is a very good person. She is gentle with the baby and takes good care of the baby.”
David Rochkind, USAID
I got a buncha shots. And I ate some typhoid. [urp]. This was only one of multiple pages now stamped full, in the little yellow book they gave me. See this post on [xeni.net/trek] for story.
Since 1987, the Extended Program on Immunization in Bangladesh has saved the lives of more than 3.5 million children . It has led to the eradication of poliomyelitis and the elimination of neonatal tetanus, and has possibly made the biggest contribution towards Bangladesh's achievement of Millennium Development Goal 4 well ahead of schedule. At least 95% of the 157 million people living in this country have access to vaccines - this in a country where only around 60% of the population has access to the power grid, that sees annual floods, and that has a challenging road transport system and high levels of corruption. This has made Bangladesh's vaccine delivery system a role model for delivering effective interventions in resource-poor settings. This successful story cannot be pinned down on any one crucial factor, but it is rather a result of the development of an effective system involving collaboration between multiple dedicated blocks of society – from front line workers to politicians to journalists.
At a maternal and child clinic at La Fossette, one of the largest in Cap-Haitian, patients arrive for regular check-ups as well as vaccinations.
Photo Credit: Karen Kasmauski/MCSP and Jhpiego
Dr. Luwei Pearson, Chief of Health at UNICEF Ethiopia immunizes a child against polio during the launching ceremonies for African Vaccination Week in Assela, Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. 21 April 2013. ©UNICEF Ethiopia/2013/Pearson
WESTPOINT, Liberia - February 3, 2015
Vaccines resume at Star of the Sea clinic as Ebola cases subside and general health care services can return. At the height of the Ebola epidemic, most hospitals were forced to close their doors to anyone but Ebola patients, resulting in an increase of pregnant women dying from preventable causes. However, the Star of the Sea clinic, run by Catholic Relief Services with support from USAID, is now providing critical health care services including triage, delivering newborn babies, and continuing vital childhood immunizations. As the Ebola situation improves, these efforts to strengthen primary health care are providing for the needs of mothers and children.
Photo by Neil Brandvold, USAID
WESTPOINT, Liberia - February 3, 2015
Vaccines resume at Star of the Sea clinic as Ebola cases subside and general health care services can return. At the height of the Ebola epidemic, most hospitals were forced to close their doors to anyone but Ebola patients, resulting in an increase of pregnant women dying from preventable causes. However, the Star of the Sea clinic, run by Catholic Relief Services with support from USAID, is now providing critical health care services including triage, delivering newborn babies, and continuing vital childhood immunizations. As the Ebola situation improves, these efforts to strengthen primary health care are providing for the needs of mothers and children.
Photo by Neil Brandvold, USAID
Photo Credit: Allan Gichigi/MCSP
Children being immunized at the Kangeta Hospital, Igembe, Meru, Kenya 2016.
From 3-6 October 2013 Ethiopian Federal Minister of Health conducts Polio National Immunization Days in all the regions of the country for children 0-5 years of age with the oral polio vaccine. ©UNICEF Ethiopia/2013/Sewunet
All British Columbians are encouraged to get immunized and reduce the chance of getting the flu and passing it on to others.The influenza vaccine will be available throughout the province by early November at public health clinics, physicians’ offices, travel clinics and pharmacies.
Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016HLTH0075-002094
Since 1987, the Extended Program on Immunization in Bangladesh has saved the lives of more than 3.5 million children . It has led to the eradication of poliomyelitis and the elimination of neonatal tetanus, and has possibly made the biggest contribution towards Bangladesh's achievement of Millennium Development Goal 4 well ahead of schedule. At least 95% of the 157 million people living in this country have access to vaccines - this in a country where only around 60% of the population has access to the power grid, that sees annual floods, and that has a challenging road transport system and high levels of corruption. This has made Bangladesh's vaccine delivery system a role model for delivering effective interventions in resource-poor settings. This successful story cannot be pinned down on any one crucial factor, but it is rather a result of the development of an effective system involving collaboration between multiple dedicated blocks of society – from front line workers to politicians to journalists.
All British Columbians are encouraged to get immunized and reduce the chance of getting the flu and passing it on to others.The influenza vaccine will be available throughout the province by early November at public health clinics, physicians’ offices, travel clinics and pharmacies.
Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016HLTH0075-002094
Premier John Horgan, Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC's provincial health officer, and Dr. Penny Ballem, executive lead of the BC immunization rollout, make an announcement about the next steps in BC's COVID-19 Immunization Plan on January 22, 2021.
Dist-Puri, Odisha, INDIA..Measles vaccine bottels arranged for a photograph at district Programme Management Unit, NRHM in Puri. Immunization is one of the most cost effective public health interventions, preventing around 2 million child deaths each year worldwide, and IndiaÕs Immunization Program is the largest in world with respect to the quantity of vaccines used and the number of beneficiaries. Here, Routine Immunization (RI) saves the lives of 400,000 children annually. In OdishaÕs 30 districts and 314 blocks, it is not easy for health workers to reach a population of 4.1 crore. With 30% of the areas difficult to reach, 22% tribal population, 48% people in the BPL category and 17% schedule cast population, Odisha has been one of the most challenges states for them in terms of geography and demography. Despite these odds, during 2013-14, the state provided immunization services at a cost of Rs 30 crore to 8,54,619 children between 0-1 years and 9,40,081 pregnant women to prevent seven diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and Hepatitis B. In addition, vitamin A is also administered to children. The current level of full immunization coverage is 62.3% for children (AHS 2011-12), officials say. Since 2009, the program has manifested itself in the Teeka Express, where participation of civil society, NGOs, porters, rickshaw drivers and volunteers strengthen the vaccine delivery logistics. This system has been implemented in 280 out of the 314 blocks of the state, and has reduced vaccine shortage, improved vaccine quality, improved timeliness of reporting, ensured regularization of immunization in hard to reach areas and improved immunization waste management. Odisha governmentÕs RI program has been supported by UNICEF and has positively impacted vaccine logistics management. Training imparted by UNICEF has strengthened the Cold Chain improvement plans and ensured improved coverage of hard to reach areas. .
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Village Ð Alikia, Block-Chandanpur CHS, Dist-Puri, Odisha, INDIA..Namita Barol along with her child Lovely Barol, two months child, waiting to be immunized after Purnachandra Sabata, 44, an autorickshaw driver, delivered cold chain boxes of vaccines to Anganwadi centre. Every Wednesday, Purnachandra Saba, delivers boxes of vaccines to anganwadi centres.Immunization is one of the most cost effective public health interventions, preventing around 2 million child deaths each year worldwide, and IndiaÕs Immunization Program is the largest in world with respect to the quantity of vaccines used and the number of beneficiaries. Here, Routine Immunization (RI) saves the lives of 400,000 children annually. In OdishaÕs 30 districts and 314 blocks, it is not easy for health workers to reach a population of 4.1 crore. With 30% of the areas difficult to reach, 22% tribal population, 48% people in the BPL category and 17% schedule cast population, Odisha has been one of the most challenges states for them in terms of geography and demography. Despite these odds, during 2013-14, the state provided immunization services at a cost of Rs 30 crore to 8,54,619 children between 0-1 years and 9,40,081 pregnant women to prevent seven diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and Hepatitis B. In addition, vitamin A is also administered to children. The current level of full immunization coverage is 62.3% for children (AHS 2011-12), officials say. Since 2009, the program has manifested itself in the Teeka Express, where participation of civil society, NGOs, porters, rickshaw drivers and volunteers strengthen the vaccine delivery logistics. This system has been implemented in 280 out of the 314 blocks of the state, and has reduced vaccine shortage, improved vaccine quality, improved timeliness of reporting, ensured regularization of immunization in hard to reach areas and improved immunization waste management. .
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This figure shows the five steps to building a nanobody library, including:
- Immunize a camelid
- Extract white blood cells
- Copy genes for nanobodies, insert into phages
- Generate phages that display nanobodies
- “Pan” for desired nanobodies
Scientists are investigating nanobodies and their diminutive brethren for all sorts of purposes.
This research may begin by building a nanobody library: To identify antibody fragments that work against a specific target, like SARS-CoV-2 or a cancer protein, researchers often start by immunizing a camel or shark with their target of interest.
A few weeks later, they take blood from the animal to get white blood cells. From those white blood cells, they make copies of the antibodies’ genes to insert into viruses called bacteriophages that display the nanobodies on their surface. Researchers can then sort through those nanobodies, like panning for gold to find the ones that attach to their protein of interest.
Read more in Knowable Magazine
Small wonders: The antibodies from camels and sharks that could change medicine
A handful of animals make a pared-down version of these pathogen-fighting proteins of our immune system. Scientists hope to harness them as treatments for ills from cancer to Covid, for tracking cells in the body, and more.
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2023/animal-n...
Arming immune foot soldiers against cancer
Natural killer cells are born ready to attack the disease. Biologists are developing ways to make these cells tougher and more targeted.
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2020/arming-i...
Q&A — Synthetic biologist Wendell Lim: How the body’s own defense cells can be turned into tiny, programmable assassins to battle cancers and other disorders
knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2018/hacking-...
Take a deeper dive: Selected scholarly reviews
Applications of Nanobodies, Annual Review of Animal Biosciences
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WESTPOINT, Liberia - February 3, 2015
Vaccines resume at Star of the Sea clinic as Ebola cases subside and general health care services can return. At the height of the Ebola epidemic, most hospitals were forced to close their doors to anyone but Ebola patients, resulting in an increase of pregnant women dying from preventable causes. However, the Star of the Sea clinic, run by Catholic Relief Services with support from USAID, is now providing critical health care services including triage, delivering newborn babies, and continuing vital childhood immunizations. As the Ebola situation improves, these efforts to strengthen primary health care are providing for the needs of mothers and children.
Photo by Neil Brandvold, USAID
Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health will conduct National Polio Immunization Days in all regions of the country (3-6 October, 2013). ©UNICEF Ethiopia/2013/Sewunet
This week, the Pipeline Community Health Center in Monrovia, Liberia, is working to resume routine immunizations that have been put on hold due to the Ebola epidemic. The effort is part of a nationwide campaign led by Liberia's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), and supported by UNICEF, known as the periodic intensification of routine immunization, or PIRI, which aims to rapidly reduce the number of children not immunized against measles. In Liberia, government data shows that monthly measles immunization coverage against target dropped from 71% in May 2014 to 55% in October 2014.
As cases of Ebola are falling in Liberia, health workers are encouraging parents to bring in their children in order to catch up on the mixed vaccinations. Dr. Rebecca Varney, the officer in charge of the Pipeline Community Health Center, said that some children coming in are 22 months old but have not completed their vaccinations.
Varney also noted the risk of unimmunized children spreading measles to other children in school, as well as the importance of vaccinations as schools prepare to reopen. "Children would come down with measles and the parents would not notice, and would send them to school…and it would pass on to other children." At this time if we can vaccinate the children to prevent them from getting measles, it will be so much better for our school system and other children will not get infected.
Monrovia, Liberia, on 2 February 2015
Photo: UNMEER/Aalok Kanani
UNICEF supports a nationwide measles vaccination campaign to protect 15.5 million children from life-threatening diseases. The launch of regional vaccination campaign in Haik town, Amhara region, Ethiopia 27 December 2022. In addition, integrating in the campaign, a range of other lifesaving services. These include COVID-19 jabs and catch-up immunizations for under-vaccinated children, screening for acute malnutrition, vitamin A drops and deworming against intestinal parasites. ©UNICEF Ethiopia/2022/Mulugeta Ayene
Administrative staff assists people to fill out information and consent forms for COVID-19 vaccination.
Photo credit: Dung Tham Chi/MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity
WESTPOINT, Liberia - February 3, 2015
Vaccines resume at Star of the Sea clinic as Ebola cases subside and general health care services can return. At the height of the Ebola epidemic, most hospitals were forced to close their doors to anyone but Ebola patients, resulting in an increase of pregnant women dying from preventable causes. However, the Star of the Sea clinic, run by Catholic Relief Services with support from USAID, is now providing critical health care services including triage, delivering newborn babies, and continuing vital childhood immunizations. As the Ebola situation improves, these efforts to strengthen primary health care are providing for the needs of mothers and children.
Photo by Neil Brandvold, USAID
WESTPOINT, Liberia - February 3, 2015
Vaccines resume at Star of the Sea clinic as Ebola cases subside and general health care services can return. At the height of the Ebola epidemic, most hospitals were forced to close their doors to anyone but Ebola patients, resulting in an increase of pregnant women dying from preventable causes. However, the Star of the Sea clinic, run by Catholic Relief Services with support from USAID, is now providing critical health care services including triage, delivering newborn babies, and continuing vital childhood immunizations. As the Ebola situation improves, these efforts to strengthen primary health care are providing for the needs of mothers and children.
Photo by Neil Brandvold, USAID
Local mothers attend a health community forum on immunization and exclusive breastfeeding held by the Nigerian-based NGO, C.H.I.E.F (www.chiefngo.org). C.H.I.E.F's forums demystify medical practices like immunization, which some Awoyaya residents believed caused diseases. (Photo by Lola Akinmade Akerstrom)
A clinic in Marmalade, Haiti has adopted the Clean Care standards. They have a team of people who take shifts cleaning the clinic.
Photo Credit: Karen Kasmauski/MCSP and Jhpiego
Update 167: COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta (Jan. 5, 4:45 p.m.)
Alberta’s COVID-19 immunization program is well underway. Albertans should continue to protect others by continuing to follow restrictions and reducing the spread of COVID-19.
Latest updates :
Over the last 24 hours, 843 new cases were identified.
There are 919 people in hospital due to COVID-19, including 140 in intensive care.
There are 13,411 active cases in the province.
To date, 91,799 Albertans have recovered from COVID-19.
In the last 24 hours, there were 26 additional COVID-related deaths reported: three on Dec. 27, three on Dec. 28, two on Dec. 29, two on Dec. 30, one on Dec. 31, one on Jan. 1, two on Jan. 2, four on Jan. 3, and eight on Jan. 4.
The testing positivity rate was 8.2 per cent.
To date, there was an increase of 10,301 tests (2,857,374 total) for a total of 1,671,264 people tested.
All zones across the province have cases:
Calgary Zone: 4,545 active cases and 35,757 recovered
South Zone: 257 active cases and 4,799 recovered
Edmonton Zone: 5,794 active cases and 39,241 recovered
North Zone: 1,311 active cases and 6,201 recovered
Central Zone: 1,431 active cases and 5,663 recovered
73 active cases and 138 recovered cases in zones to be confirmed
Additional information, including case totals, is online.
R values from Dec. 28 to Jan. 3 (confidence interval):
Alberta provincewide: 0.99 (0.97-1.01)
Edmonton Zone: 0.92 (0.89-0.95)
Calgary Zone: 1.02 (0.99-1.06)
Rest of Alberta: 1.06 (1.01-1.10)
There are currently 1,236 active and 6,075 recovered cases at long-term care facilities and supportive/home living sites.
To date, 784 of the 1,168 reported deaths (67 per cent) have been in long-term care facilities or supportive/home living sites.
COVID-19 immunization program
Vaccines are being administered across the province. As of Jan. 4, 26,269 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta.
Alberta’s phased approach to vaccination focuses first on priority health-care workers and those who are at highest risk of severe outcomes. Eligibility will continue to expand as more vaccine arrives in the province and more doses are administered to those most at risk.
A comprehensive outreach program is reaching communities with high levels of COVID-19 spread in Edmonton and Calgary.
Upon referral by Alberta Health Services (AHS), people in these areas who test positive for COVID-19 are eligible for a free-of-charge hotel room stay of 14 days, complete with culturally appropriate food and temporary financial aid in the amount of $625, once they have completed their self-isolation.
In December, more than 290 Albertans accessed hotel rooms in order to isolate safely.
In response to increasing case numbers, enhanced public measures prohibiting social gatherings, requiring masking and restricting businesses and services continue to be in effect.
All indoor and outdoor social gatherings – public and private – are still prohibited.
All existing guidance and legal orders remain in place.
All travellers who have arrived from the United Kingdom and South Africa since Dec. 7 should immediately get a COVID-19 test, whether they have symptoms or not.
Travellers will be contacted directly by Alberta Health Services to book a test.
Also, travellers from the United Kingdom or South Africa who are participating in the border pilot must immediately quarantine, whether they’ve had a negative test or not. All returning travellers currently in quarantine must remain in quarantine for the full 14 days.
Rapid point-of-care testing has begun at long-term care and designated supportive living facilities in the Edmonton Zone using dedicated mobile testing centres.
Remote and rural hospitals in Alberta will receive rapid tests in late December and early January.
Rapid testing has already been expanded to homeless shelters and centres in Calgary and Edmonton.
The government has granted certain Alberta peace officers and community peace officers temporary authority to enforce public health orders.
Not following mandatory restrictions will result in fines of $1,000 per ticketed offence and up to $100,000 through the courts.
All Albertans are encouraged to download the secure ABTraceTogether app, which is integrated with provincial contact tracing. The federal app is not a contact tracing app.
Secure contact tracing is an effective tool to stop the spread by notifying people who were exposed to a confirmed case so they can isolate and be tested.
As of Jan. 5, 295,575 Albertans were using the ABTraceTogether app, 66 per cent on iOS and 34 per cent on Android. On average, 22 new users were registering every hour.
Secure contact tracing is a cornerstone of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy.
Parents and guardians can access the COVID-19 test results for children under the age of 18 through MyHealth Records (MHR) as soon as they are ready.
As of Jan. 4, 494,545 Albertans have MHR accounts.
All Albertans, especially seniors and those at risk, are encouraged to get immunized against influenza.
More than 1,450,368 Albertans have received their flu shot.
Confidential supports are available. The Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642 and the Addiction Help Line at 1-866-332-2322 operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Resources are also available online.
The Kids Help Phone is available 24-7 and offers professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people by texting CONNECT to 686868.
Online resources provide advice on handling stressful situations and ways to talk with children.
A 24-hour Family Violence Information Line at 310-1818 provides anonymous help in more than 170 languages.
Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence is available at 1-866-403-8000, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
People fleeing family violence can call local police or the nearest RCMP detachment to apply for an Emergency Protection Order, or follow the steps in the Emergency Protection Orders Telephone Applications (COVID-19).
Information sheets and other resources on family violence prevention are at alberta.ca/COVID19.
Alberta’s government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting lives and livelihoods with precise measures to bend the curve, sustain small businesses and protect Alberta’s health-care system.(photography by Paul Taillon/Office of the Premier)
Our whole family was vaccinated against the H1N1 Flu. My daughter shows off her "battle wound" having to receive the injection because of her asthma. The rest of us received the nasal mist.
In Marabo clinic village health workers were vaccinating and distributing vitamin A. UNICEF provides about 80% of the funding of the governments Expanded Programme of Immunization. UNICEF provides the vaccines, needles, syringes, cold chain materials and sharps boxes.
The Marabo clinic covers about 12,000 people. Most of the inhabitants are returnees. The clinic has 4 nurses and a further are being trained from the relais communautaires(I am not sure I heard this correctly as I am told this is not standard practice).
The clinic is supported by 25 relais communautaires voluntary workers. They register the mothers and children for the immunization and during the week spread health and sanitation messages. Three volunteers can be seen working on the campaign; one to register the children, one in charge of the vitamin A and one with iron tablets.
The volunteer who explained this to me (woman with black turban sitting at the table) had been a volunteer for 3 years, she had been asked to become one by her neighbours, she said she did the work as she wanted to develop her community. She spread messages about sanitation mainly at the end of prayer meetings but also from door to door. In her neigbourhood 30 out of 100 houses had latrines.
Solidarites has just started a programme to provide tools for families so that they can build latrines.
People in B.C. can look ahead to their next COVID-19 vaccine dose with the Province announcing a fall booster program as the next step in its COVID-19 immunization plan.
Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/27150
Mural celebrating Sandinista campaigns for literacy and immunization, which raised literacy from 50% to 83% and eradicated polio (as well as "Somocismo," as the mural notes cheekily).
Centro Cultural Batahola Norte, Managua, Nicaragua
At a maternal and child clinic at La Fossette, one of the largest in Cap-Haitian, patients arrive for regular check-ups as well as vaccinations. Pictured are ward nurses and student nurses giving BCG vaccines to babies.
Photo Credit: Karen Kasmauski/MCSP and Jhpiego
A health worker giving a measles vaccine to a child in Amhara Region south Wollo zone at Hike IDP center. The launch of regional vaccination campaign in Amhara Region of Ethiopia 27 December 2022. In addition, integrating in the campaign, a range of other lifesaving services. These include COVID-19 jabs and catch-up immunizations for under-vaccinated children, screening for acute malnutrition, vitamin A drops and deworming against intestinal parasites. ©UNICEF Ethiopia/2022/Mulugeta Ayene
Photo Credit: Allan Gichigi/MCSP
A nurse places vaccines in the newly installed fridge in the health center, Igembe, Meru, Kenya 2016
All British Columbians are encouraged to get immunized and reduce the chance of getting the flu and passing it on to others.The influenza vaccine will be available throughout the province by early November at public health clinics, physicians’ offices, travel clinics and pharmacies.
Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016HLTH0075-002094
At a maternal and child clinic at La Fossette, one of the largest in Cap-Haitian, patients arrive for regular check-ups as well as vaccinations. Four health workers work at the site, either vaccinating or weighing children. The clinic is held in a building in the process of being built.
Photo Credit: Karen Kasmauski/MCSP and Jhpiego
Photo Credit: Allan Gichigi/MCSP
Dr. Paul Odila immunizing a baby at an outreach in East Pokot, Kenya
Since 1987, the Extended Program on Immunization in Bangladesh has saved the lives of more than 3.5 million children . It has led to the eradication of poliomyelitis and the elimination of neonatal tetanus, and has possibly made the biggest contribution towards Bangladesh's achievement of Millennium Development Goal 4 well ahead of schedule. At least 95% of the 157 million people living in this country have access to vaccines - this in a country where only around 60% of the population has access to the power grid, that sees annual floods, and that has a challenging road transport system and high levels of corruption. This has made Bangladesh's vaccine delivery system a role model for delivering effective interventions in resource-poor settings. This successful story cannot be pinned down on any one crucial factor, but it is rather a result of the development of an effective system involving collaboration between multiple dedicated blocks of society – from front line workers to politicians to journalists.
Area: Chandnmari Juggi, Vijaynagar District: Ghaziabad, State: Uttar Pradesh Country: India, 22nd March 2017 .
An ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) administers polio drops and vaccination to pregnant women and children at an Angnawadi in the Chandnmari Juggi. 27-year-old Naazma Begum along with her husband Mohhammed Avrakh reside in a 100 sq.feet plot of land covered by blue and yellow plastic supported by bamboo sticks. In order to survive Naazma picks rags from garbage dumps and construction sites, sometimes travelling around 8 to 10 kilometers a day. Typically her day starts at 4:00 am, and sometimes can extend till late evenings. After picking useful items out of garbage she comes back to her slum colony and sorts out the various pieces of junk collected. Plastic, metals, glass and other items are separated and sold. Children, young and old participate in this activity. The sorted items would then be sold to a “Kabadi Wala” ( Wholesale Junk Shop).
On certain days Naazma does not go for her morning rounds of rag picking. This does affects her household economically. Her husband a magician doing shows for a living does not have a steady stream of income. In spite of the circumstances Naazma on these mornings goes house to house motivating young mothers from her community to take their children for routine immunization sessions organized in her locality by the National Health Mission.
An inspiration to many, Naazma sometimes has tough time convincing her friends to take their children. Excuses ranging from, “We don’t have time’, “the child will get fever “ are common in her community. Naazma patiently explains the dangers caused due to lack of vaccination and its necessity in today’s life to every household. Her effort along with the support of Community Mobilization Coordinator and Block Mobilization Coordinator has led to a massive increase in the children immunized in Vijaynagar Ghaziabad.