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Field visit at Patna during Regional Media Consultation on Routine Immunization (RI)

Wednesday is Life-Saving Day at Kot!a"

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 2!"4#$

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$ %t felt as if it was some kind of

a special day for the local community$

&'es it is young )ohan father of a two *year old child confirmed$ &%t is not any other day **

it+s Tikakaran Diwas (Immunization Day)which takes place on Wednesdays$

)ohan is enthusiastic about immuni,ing his child against preventable disease and accompanies

his wife and child for vaccination at the school centre$ &% had heard about teekakaran but % 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 -ournalists from five states who were attending

a two*day media workshop on .outine %mmuni,ation in Patna on September 24 and 2/ 2!"4$

&0ut the A1) came to my house and eplained the process and its benefit to me and my wife$ %

reali,ed it was the best gift we could give to our first born he said with a smile$

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)ohan is interested in immuni,ation now and has gained considerable knowledge on various

vaccines and diseases they prevent$Sometimes % even help health workers when they have a

problem convincing other parents$

3e claimed that he shares this knowledge among his friends and has successfully convinced

many of them about the benefits of immuni,ing their children$

oining the conversation A1) Kerolna Pyari Tirki with nearly three decades of eperience said

that around "! years back Kothwa village which lies on the outskirts of Patna (population5

"4!!# had many reluctant families in the community and there were many misconception aboutvaccination$

0ut with the combined efforts of committed health workers opinion leaders and village elders

.outine %mmuni,ation slowly gained acceptance$ She and her assistant 1utan Kumari proudly

asserted &Kothwa is a model village in the entire block6region and .% is a very smooth activity

here$

She shared many success stories and incidents from the past wherein they convinced reluctant

families and converted partial .% cases into full immuni,ation ones$

A1) didi also introduced .adha 7evi mother of a three* year old child who had come for 8

immuni,ation$ She shared her eperience on how AS3A and AWW didishad been in regular touch

with mothers like her including pregnant women of the village$

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&They regularly check their immuni,ation cards and inform them about their net due date as

being illiterate they find it challenging to understand the details themselves .adha said$

After getting her child vaccinated for 8 .adha said that she feels sure that her son will not bethreatened by the dreaded disease which takes a heavy toll on the lives of young children in

0ihar and ad-oining districts of 9ttar Pradesh every year$