Real life story of a Rotary Volunteer who ventured against threats to his life to argue and convince aggressive mobs trapped by misinformation and fanaticism propagated by vested interests, political clouts and self styled medicos, that Oral Polio V...
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Mop up day. The kids remaining unvaccinated should be located and served with polio drops. The vaccinators and coordinators have started scouting for the missing one percent. The work was progressing well until about eleven in the morning, when Ajay came running searching for Marykutty. He was panting like a chased dog.
"Ajay, what is the matter? Why are you panting?"
Trying hard to control panting, with gestures with head and hands, he attempted to convey some important message. Somehow he could say " there ....... there ....... a big crowd .... at ... Uma .. dhoban (Washer woman)... house..."
"What happened?"
"child...child... died"
"What! How?"
"Don't know"
"When ?"
"Early morning"
"Let's go"
"Don't"
"Why?"
"Kill you. They will kill you"
"Me...? Why .?"
"You gave the drops, last evening"
"yes"
"The child had fever"
"So what"
"Started vomiting in the night... and had fits....too much of vomiting. Became unconscious."
'........ '
"In the morning......died."
"It can't be because of the drops. No. Not at all."
"They say you must have given too much or poisonous drops"
"What did Uma say?"
"I don't know. She lay unconscious"
Ajay ran back the same way he came, shouting "Deedi, don't go there. Inform doctor babu.."
Marykutty was stunt. She was still for a few moments. Then she walked upto Begum Razia Sultana's house. She was not at home. Marykutty gave a brief account of what Ajay had told to Begum's maid servant and wanted to inform Dr. Tomar. She knew Marykutty and allowed her to make a call to Dr. Tomar from the land line. Marykutty explained whatever Ajay told her. She also informed him that the child had slight fever and Uma and other people at home and around had not resisted giving drops because of the child's illness. The news of the death of the child was enough oil in the already sizzling charcoal to burn down the entire mop up exercise making useless the efforts of so many people over the past several weeks, as even a single child left out could be as dangerous as the entire population left uncovered.
Dr. Tomar suggested that mercury must be very high and the fanatics would have already taken the opportunity to fight out, whether they had a reason or not. He would rather call up Dr. Amanullah before acting. This being a case of unnatural death police will be involved and the Dy. S. P. would cash the opportunity to harass him and others. Marykutty was restless because Uma would need some assistance, may be a first aid to regain consciousness or she will have to be shifted to the hospital. But the crowd must have become viral by now. The miscreants were already there to ignite. Nevertheless, she should go. The Dhobiwada (Washermen colony) was in her jurisdiction. Any patient in there was her responsibility. She told Dr. Tomar and cut the phone without waiting for his response. She knew that he would not allow her go. If Begum was there perhaps she would have gone with her, just in case the gang should attempt harming her. Marykutty was unconcerned about her safety. She was duty bound to rescue Uma. She picked up her first aid box and ran like hell, heels in the air! Yet it took about ten minutes for her to reach Uma's hutment.
