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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"I told you, not to give those drops to the child. Now see what is happening. She has vomited all the milk you gave her. Thank God, she threw the drops also."
Kamla Bai was happy that her grand daughter escaped from the adverse effects of the OPV.(Oral Polio Vaccine). The news that a child in the Dhobiwada died after taking OPV spread like wild fire. Other women in Dhobiwada were anxious about the children who were already given the vaccine the previous evening. Added to that was the news that Ramya's child also started vomiting. Ramya's was the last house visited by Marykutty. There were at least some 30 households which were yet to be visited by the vaccinator in the Dhobiwada.
Women working in the nearby Bhatti leave their homes early in the day to reach their work place before 8.00. They carry the young ones with them so that they can be breastfed and otherwise taken care of during the day. Generally there would be no children in the houses when the vaccinators visit. In many houses there might be nobody as everyone would have gone out to do something or other –older people to sell vegetables or some odd things, younger ones as casual labourers, watchmen or on sundry errands. Necessarily, until they reach school going age, children have to accompany their mothers. On all NIDs vaccinators would visit the bhattis to vaccinate such children who have missed the OPV on regular days. In this bhatti there were likely some 40 or 50 children. Marykutty had finished the households in Dhobiwada quickly as there were practically no children to be vaccinated. She waited at the Panchayath office. Almost half an hour later Dr. Tomar and Dr. Amanullah arrived. "There is no case against you. SP has been convinced. You can now go and continue with your work, if anything is left"
"There are a few children in the Bhatti. I am going there."
She picked up the icebox. Dr. Amanulla was interested to see life at the Bhatti and the children being vaccinated there.
"Sister, I will go with you to the Bhatti. May be I will be of some assistance to you. At least good company. Do you mind?"
"I am only happy sir. It will be nice to see how people work there with the children. They are very nice people. Will be honoured by your presence."
"Fine. Let us go in my car. Dr. Tomar, I will see you later, anyway before I leave for Kerala"
Dr. Tomar left for the hospital. Dr Amanullah and Marykutty left the Panchayat office instantly.
*** ***
It was the rest hour for the workers at the bhatti. Men lay in small groups in the shadow of stacked bricks. Women sit aside along with their kids, feeding them, breast feeding or patting them to sleep. Some squat and a few lay in the shadow. As the car pulled aside, some people nearby got up in reverence to the alighting VIPs. Seeing Marykutty with the vaccine box they realized the purpose for which the visitors have come. They gathered around the two, seemingly obstructing their way forward.
