My Himachal Immunisation Initiative

As part of this initiative, organisers work with the Lady Willingdon Hospital/Jibhi Clinic to vaccinate children against illnesses such as Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) and Hepatitis B, to provide Vitamin A and zinc supplements, and to undertake health surveys that involve assessing the diet/nutrition of local children and measuring their weight and height. Printed awareness literature is handed out to inform parents about the purpose of these immunisation and health care/research approaches.

A central strategy at these events involves the use of street theatre ("Kala Jatha"), with performances on health issues such as nutrition and alcoholism held; the goal is to creative a festive atmosphere for promoting health. In addition, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO) called SAHARA performs at these vaccination events, using humour and music to promote health messages. The leader of My Himachal comments that this group's Kala Jatha theatre "is very popular and the skits elicit a lot of laughter. Some of the older village men join in with dancing. At the end of the street theater, more music is performed. Villagers do the local Himachal Pradesh dance, called a Nati, with members of our Health Mela team joining in to form a large circle dance. The mood is very joyous and festive and the dance seems very symbolic of our connection here, high in the mountains."

While the children are waiting for care (immunisation), games are played - with winners receiving prizes of a toothbrush and toothpaste (in an effort to encourage good dental hygiene).

Many of the villages that My Himachal visits are difficult for medical practitioners to reach. For example, the village of Sajwaar is at 9,000 feet elevation, and can only be accessed by a 3-hour hike from paved roads. Dr. Kaaren Mathias explains that "We realised that the best way to reach remote villages was to hike up to them. It's usually pretty difficult for a mother to bring a few children down to our Jibhi clinic."

As part of the June 2007 health mela (health camp) sponsored by My Himichal, a total of 249 children were examined in a 4-day period. Follow-up visits to the same 5 villages were scheduled take place in July and September of that year. Organisers found upon their initial visit that 85% of village children were suffering from malnutrition; refinement of the survey data showed that girls were suffering at a 90% rate.