Field visit in Patna

Wednesday is Life-Saving Day at Kothwa!

The Anganwadi centre at the primary school in Kothwa village of Seikhpura locality of Patna was agog with activity on a pleasant Wednesday afternoon (September 24, 2014).

The air was filled with mischievous laughter of playful kids and animated gossip of young mothers who had gathered at the school from the village and nearby areas. It felt as if it was some kind of a special day for the local community.

“Yes, it is,” young Mohan, father of a two -year old child confirmed. “It is not any other day -- it’s Tikakaran Diwas (Immunization Day) which takes place on Wednesdays.”

Mohan is enthusiastic about immunizing his child against preventable disease and accompanies his wife and child for vaccination at the school centre. “I had heard about teekakaran but I was unaware of its full benefits. There were stories too going around in our locality about how these teekas are dangerous,” he told a visiting team of journalists from five states who were attending a two-day media workshop on Routine Immunization in Patna on September 24 and 25, 2014.


“But the ANM came to my house and explained the process and its benefit to me and my wife. I realized it was the best gift we could give to our first born,” he said with a smile.

Mohan is interested in immunization now and has gained considerable knowledge on various vaccines and diseases they prevent.”Sometimes I even help health workers when they have a problem convincing other parents.”

He claimed that he shares this knowledge among his friends and has successfully convinced many of them about the benefits of immunizing their children.

Joining the conversation, ANM Kerolna Pyari Tirki with nearly three decades of experience said that around 10 years back Kothwa village, which lies on the outskirts of Patna (population: 1400), had many reluctant families in the community and there were many misconception about vaccination.

But with the combined efforts of committed health workers, opinion leaders and village elders, Routine Immunization slowly gained acceptance. She and her assistant Nutan Kumari proudly asserted, “Kothwa is a model village in the entire block/region and RI is a very smooth activity here.”

She shared many success stories and incidents from the past wherein they convinced reluctant families and converted partial RI cases into full immunization ones.

ANM didi also introduced Radha Devi, mother of a three- year old child, who had come for JE immunization. She shared her experience on how ASHA and AWW didis had been in regular touch with mothers like her, including pregnant women of the village.

“They regularly check their immunization cards and inform them about their next due date as being illiterate they find it challenging to understand the details themselves,” Radha said.

After getting her child vaccinated for JE, Radha said that she feels sure that her son will not be threatened by the dreaded disease which takes a heavy toll on the lives of young children in Bihar and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh every year.