A Young Braveheart Is on a Unique Mission to eradicate Kala Azar

Pinki Chauhan was a lively young girl when at the tender age of 12 she was struck by a complex vector-borne disease known as kala-azar. The disease left an indelible mark on her literally, as it left a trail of greyish and black spots on her skin.  Any teenager at her age would have been devastated by the marks and Pinki too after overcoming the initial bout of fever and the pain was bewildered by the marks on her skin. The discoloration was caused by the Leishmania Donovani parasite, which is carried by sandflies that cause kala-azar. After making many rounds to the clinics for treatment and spending huge amounts, she was finally able to overcome her ordeal. However, Pinki didn’t want anyone to suffer like her and so she undertook the mission to spread awareness about this disease. Pinki, the fighter, started a war against the disease in her native Deora district in Uttar Pradesh. She was aware of how widespread ignorance of the causal adversary (the sandfly) was and how easily it could be treated if done quickly. After completing her 12th-grade education, Pinki was given permission by her parents to take up the cause. Pinki is not a teacher, but her class is called ‘Pinki ki Pathshaala’. She meets at least 20 people per day. She rides her bicycle around the neighborhood, interacting with housewives, men, and children. Pinki informs them about the illness, its warning signs, symptoms, and prevention like a skilled health professional would, in addition to providing contact information in case of uncertainty. So far she has met 10,000 students in Deoria. Additionally, she has made contact with more than 1,200 homes in her district's Banghata block. According to experts, Pinki Ki Pathshala, a community initiative, aids health workers in the eradication of such diseases.