World Health Day special: The incredible journey of ASHA workers across Dhubri, Assam

The distinct ‘blue box’ – carriers of the Measles Rubella vaccine ready to taken from the Golakganj Block Public Health Centre (BPHC). This BPHC is one of the oldest, established in 1905. (Photo: MoHFW)

Jalil, in his fifties and a daily wage-earner in the local market of Golakganj has been sincerely delivering these vaccine carriers to the session site. “It makes me feel that I am doing something for my society”, mentioned Jalil. (Photo: MoHFW)

On reaching the distribution site, Jalil arranges all the vaccine carriers and each ANM takes their respective ‘blue box’ to the various other session sites. (Photo: MoHFW)

After reaching the meeting point at session site located in the braid bars, now the team needs to undertake the long journey ahead on foot. There are no vehicles to carry the team any further. (Photo: MoHFW)

The team crosses the first waterbody covered with water hyacinths, walking over a temporary and weak bamboo bridge. (Photo: MoHFW)

Between the waterbodies, the team walks through the villages flanked by bamboo grooves and green paddy fields. (Photo: MoHFW)

The team reaches the wetland, where a rudimentary raft, made with banana trees and jute stems awaits them. (Photo: MoHFW)

Without the manual effort of ASHA Abaron Bibi, the raft cannot move. She wades through the waters, tugging the raft across the wetland all by herself in an extremely hot and humid condition. (Photo: MoHFW)

very time the team visits this side of Golakganj, Abaron is the only person who ferries them to the other side. “It’s my village and I’m the ASHA. If I refuse, who else will do it”, the shy reply came from the widow and mother of five. (Photo: MoHFW)

Since the raft is a makeshift one and light, it is risky to carry more than two in the raft at a time. So, Abaron makes multiple trips back and forth with the raft to bring the entire team across. (Photo: MoHFW)

The ASHA workers traverse the area flanked with riverines, moving with undeterred determination through the creeks and paddy fields. The sediments of clay and mud make it difficult to cross these slippery creeks. (Photo: MoHFW)

The ASHA workers continue without a break, wading through waterbodies and shifting the weight of the vaccine carriers from one shoulder to another. (Photo: MoHFW)

Bunches of fresh jute plants come to the rescue of the team as a makeshift bridges. (Photo: MoHFW)

The Asha team reaches their destination – West Mora Gadadhar Local Primary School. (Photo: MoHFW)

The children receive the Measles-Rubella vaccine and are immunised. Thanks to the efforts by the Asha workers here, they can now look forward to a safe and healthy life ahead. Once the children get vaccinated, the ASHA team journey back via the same path. (Photo: MoHFW)