World Health Day: Meet The Women Who Are Making Universal Health Care Dream A Reality

The healthcare sector may be financially rewarding for those in the upper echelons but there are people who are tirelessly working while breaking many barriers. Take for example the midwives and female health workers who have to work in remote locations where reaching is a task and convincing people about availing modern healthcare facilities even more so. But these brave women are doing just that by taking healthcare to the grassroots and some of them have also been honoured for their efforts. Her Zindagi takes a look at some of these exceptional women and their work. Read and be inspired.

Geeta Verma, Health Worker, Mandi (HP)

Hailing from Himachal’s Mandi district, health worker Geeta Verma has managed to break gender stereotypes and barriers of sexism with her work. Posted at Shakhardehra Health Sub Centre, Geeta has ensured prevention vaccinations for certain diseases are available for everyone in her village.

Geeta travels to different areas on a bike for providing vaccination to the locals and a photo of her doing that had gone viral in 2017. In a campaign MR (Measles and Rubella) organised last year, she ensured that vaccines are provided even in the remotest of areas.

Geeta has been featured on the first page of WHO’s yearly calendar and was also honoured with an appreciation letter. She is the first female health worker from Mandi who been recognised by WHO for her vaccination campaign. Geeta received appreciation from the Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur for her achievements. She gets immense satisfaction to fight against challenges and overcome them believing that women are no less than men in any aspect.

Meena Kumari, Health Worker, Kullu(HP)

Reaching Himachal Pradesh’s Malana village which is situated at an altitude of 8701 feet is not easy. Reaching the village means trekking through a tough terrain of 40 km for an hour.

For immunisation officials of Kullu, Malana remained outside the ambit of immunisation as no one was willing to go there. However, things changed in 2015, when Uttar Pradesh’s Meena Kumari joined as an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) in Kullu. Undeterred by the geographical toughness of Malana, Meena set forth to immunise the children of the village. Meena carried the vaccine carriers herself, travelling by public transport and on foot. Over the past four years, she has vaccinated over 180 children and this has resulted in 95% immunisation coverage in the village.

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Mangala Sood, State Immunisation Officer, Himachal Pradesh

State Immunisation Officer Mangala Sood steered the immunisation drive in a diverse population and difficult terrain including many inaccessible areas. Overcoming vaccine resistance in many pockets, Mangala reached out to those blocks which are totally cut off for 5-6 months in a year.

Mallika Medhi, Director, Family Welfare, Government Of Assam

She is responsible for attaining impressive growth in immunisation coverage in the north-eastern belt - with diverse population ranging from tea-garden tribes, other tribal ethnic groups in plains & hills, temporary minority settlement in riverine islands/chars of Brahmaputra river and several vaccine resistant pockets.

There are many areas on the Brahmaputra River that disappear with the floods every 2-3 years. An estimated 30 lakh people inhabit them, including pregnant women and children. One of the ways through which the immunisation team has been successfully able to reach the community is via boat clinics. Each boat clinic has a 14-member crew, a portable lab and is stocked with common medicines and contraceptives. With these efforts, Assam registered an increase of 31% in full immunisation coverage compared to 47.1% in 2015-16.

If that’s not inspiring then I don’t know what is. These women actually present a ray of light in a society that still looks down upon women and what they do as a profession. Her Zindagi salutes their determination and hopes that we can see a day when many households have such trailblazers who bring a remarkable change in our country.

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