International Albinism Awareness Day 13/6

"There is no room in this 21st century for erroneous and harmful beliefs, or for discrimination on any grounds. People with albinism are just as deserving of dignity as every other human being. They have the right to live free from discrimination, deprivation and fear."

ZEID RA'AD AL HUSSEINUN High Commissioner for Human Rights

June 13th 2015 was the first time International Albinism Awareness Day was celebrated. This came about through active campaigning from various organisations and the increased violent attacks on persons with albinism particularly in Africa. 

To see a moving story go here:

It is noted however that this is not an isolated condition for this region.  

Albinism results in lack of melanin pigment in the hair, skin and eyes causing increased sensitivity to the sun and also visual impairments.  It is an inherited rare non contagious genetic disease which occurs worldwide regardless of background and gender.   Exact data on prevalence is uncertain unfortunately partly due to the stigma and discrimination faced.

To see the Message by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'Ad Al Hussein:

This quote from Zeid Ra'Ad Al Hussein speech highlights the challenges: 

"In some parts of the world, people with albinism may also suffer horrific, and sometimes lethal, atrocities. Civil society activists have reported that hundreds of people with albinism – a majority of them children – have been killed, mutilated or otherwise attacked in at least 25 African countries, because of the belief that their body parts confer magical powers. More cases remain undocumented because of the isolation of the victims, the secrecy surrounding ritual practices, and indifference. Shockingly, such crimes have seldom been investigated or prosecuted"

So today lets celebrate diversity and promote inclusion for all.

To test how much you know about human rights of people with albinism go here

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AarogyaSeva and AarogyaSeva does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

To get in touch with the author or to join our team write to us at – Volunteer@aarogyaseva.org

Aravani Art Project

If you’re in Mumbai this Friday and Saturday please drop by to say hi Poornima Sukumar and help out on the Aravani Art Project.

Aarogyaseva is proud and excited to sponsor and support The Aravani Art Project on this initiative in association with Humsafar Trust.

Poornima is the Aarogyaseva artist in residence and she started the Aravani Art Initiative.   You will remember that for International Women's Day in March Poornima was one of the artists who beautifully decorated our now open free clinic in Jayanagar Bangalore Mahabodhi Aarogyaseva Kendra.

The Aravani Art Project aims to use art as a medium to bring the community together with particular emphasis on inclusion of the transgender community.   They have been doing projects across India most recently in Bangalore.   

Poornima first became involved in the transgender community through working on a documentation with Tabs Breese and wanted to stay connected and involved afterwards.   Her aim is to eventually expand the project across the world to give the third gender a voice and to encourage acceptance across the world.

Aravani Art Project has also been featured in The Hindu and Good.

If you want to find out more and support please head to their Facebook page.

It’s not too late to help! They are still after artists, scaffolding builders, buskers and magic markers.  Anything you can do to help would be much appreciated including just dropping by to say hi.

Aravani Art Project is also going to Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata.   We'll let you know when it does. 

Don’t forget we’re also looking for more volunteers for our clinic Mahadohi Aarogayseva Kendra in Bangalore.   So drop us a line at Volunteer @aarogyaseva.org

We look forward to sharing some photos next week on the event.  Stay tuned!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AarogyaSeva and AarogyaSeva does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

To get in touch with the author or to join our team write to us at – Volunteer@aarogyaseva.org

Justin Kochanski, USA - 6 April - 18 May 2016

I graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa this past May. Originally from Chicago, IL, I attended university to study Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology with a concentration in Global and Comparative Public Health. I've worked many odd jobs to help pay for school– pathology technician, oncology laboratory assistant, and junior epidemiologist at the state department, just to name a few. 

My experience from these jobs, along with my compassion for social justice and philanthropy, has led me to pursue a career in medicine. I will start medical school this coming August, with the intent of working in some sort of global health setting after graduation. I strongly believe that health is a fundamental human right, and I want to work to help secure and promote that right throughout the world. 

Seva to me means "A commitment to humanity and dedication to justice, pursuing what is just."

When I am not studying, you can find me on the soccer pitch, rock climbing, or backpacking!

World Immunisation Week 24th-30 April

“ No child should be denied the right to immunization for unfair reasons, including economic or social causes. All barriers must be overcome.”  Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General

It is estimated that 2-3 million deaths are avoided from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and measles due to immunisation.   Unfortunately there is an estimated 18.7 million infants worldwide who are still missing out on basic vaccinations. More than 60% of these children live in 10 countries including India.

Illness, disability and death from cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, polio, rubella and rotavirus diarrhoea are among the diseases immunisation can prevent. 

World Immunisation Week is celebrated annually to raise public awareness of how it saves lives and encourage increase vaccination rates for both adults and their children. 

This is the second year that the theme has been to “Close the Immunisation Gap”.

Global immunisation coverage 2014 

We are still lagging on diseases that can be easily prevented and more needs to be done now to prevent avoidable illness and deaths. 

Contrary to common belief vaccinations are required not just by children but we also need to remember that as adults we also need to ensure our vaccinations are put to date.  For instance before my nephew was born my family and I all had to make sure we had our shots of pertussis or whooping cough up to date as babies under 1 month are unfortunately very vulnerable and unable to be vaccinated at birth.   I’ve seen footage of a child with whopping cough and struggling to breathe and it is very distressing to hear and watch. 

These are WHO’s 6 Goals of the Global Vaccine Action Plan 

1. Immunisation against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis
2. Measles mortality Reduction 
3. Rubella elimination 
4. Maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination
5. Polio Eradication 
6. Use of new or under-utilised vaccines 

Here are some ways in which you can help: 

• Make sure that you and your family immunisations are up to date
• If you are anyone you know is pregnant or trying to be make sure they have are vaccinated against rubella and tetanus 
• Share this blog and other Immunisation Week articles and news with your friends and family 
• Donate to organisations that are working to closing the immunisation gap such as World Vision, or UNICEF

When our clinic opens we encourage everyone to come down and get a health check including assessing if your immunisations are up to date. 

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AarogyaSeva and AarogyaSeva does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

To get in touch with the author or to join our team write to us at – Volunteer@aarogyaseva.org

Law, Human Rights and Public Health

Law, Human Rights and Public Health

An interaction with Vinay Sreenivasa at the Alternative Law Forum.

Time: 2pm
Date: 18th June 2013
Venue: ALF Office, 122/4, Infantry Road, Opposite Infantry Wedding Hall, Bangalore, India 560001

ALF was started in March, 2000, by a collective of lawyers with the belief that there was a need for an alternative practice of law. We recognize that a practice of law is inherently political. We are committed to a practice of law which will respond to issues of social and economic injustice. Over the past few years ALF has grown from being a legal service provider to becoming a space that integrates alternative lawyering with critical research, alternative dispute resolution, pedagogic interventions and more generally maintaining sustained legal interventions in various social issues. We are also commited to an inter disciplinary interrogation of the law using creative forms. ALF perceives itself simultaneously as a space that provides qualitative legal services to marginalized groups, as an autonomous research institution with a strong interdisciplinary approach working with practitioners from other fields, as a public legal resource using conventional and unconventional forms of creating access to information, as a centre for generating quality resources that will make interventions in legal education and training, and as finally a platform to enable collaborative and creative models of knowledge production.