During my yearly visits to my grandparents’ house in Andhra Pradesh, India, as a child, I was accustomed to viewing the hardships that much of the rural community faced. Various problems in the local healthcare system prevented the most vulnerable communities from receiving the quality healthcare assistance they desperately needed. At that time, I was inclined to initiate change, however, a voice inside my head kept telling me: You don’t have the resources to make your wish come true.

After beginning my educational journey at Johns Hopkins University, I started seeking opportunities concerning healthcare inadequacies in developing countries. The first opportunity that I encountered was a position at the Vaccine Volunteer Project (VVP). This exciting initiative to improve the efficiency of vaccine distribution and help combat inadequate healthcare in the state of Maryland for all populations presented a perfect chance to make a real difference. As I reflect on my work at VVP, I can say that this project gave me a vital understanding of the importance of COVID awareness and vaccination efforts. Although the completion of the project was marked with the successful delivery of nearly 250,000 vaccine doses, I still desired to bring my experience to India and create a difference in the healthcare system in the rural community that was my parents’ homeland, especially concerning COVID-19 vaccinations. This aspiration led me to the Vincente Ferrer Foundation USA (VFF USA), a DC-based non-profit organization with a mission to empower rural communities to improve their living conditions.

The Walk for Nallamala Initiative

VFF USA works closely with the Rural Development Trust (RDT), its implementing partner in India. One of their most exciting projects is its efforts to empower the Chenchu community, a tribal community that lives in the Nallamala region of Andhra Pradesh. In particular, I felt that the COVID-19 vaccination awareness project which aimed to provide access to vaccinations and health information to the Chenchu community was particularly meaningful. I reached out to VFF USA with an idea to launch the Walk for Nallamala Initiative. The initiative symbolized the inaccessibility of healthcare to the Chenchu people and challenged participants to virtually walk the route the ambulance took to provide healthcare for the Chenchu. Over the course of two weeks, I was able to raise $2,000 to help fund RDT awareness campaign and promote vaccination efforts in the Chenchu community. The initiative urged me to learn more about current rural healthcare practices in Andhra Pradesh and COVID-19 awareness methods for the economically disadvantaged Chenchu population.

After speaking with Pushpa Latha, RDT Regional Director, I was given the opportunity to visit Bathalapalli Hospital, one of RDT’s key hospitals, which was converted to a COVID-19 hospital during the 1st and 2nd waves of COVID, and to lead awareness workshops in Nallamala, Andhra Pradesh.

Visiting RDT Bathalapalli Hospital

My journey to Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh began with the visit to the RDT Bathalapalli Hospital. To address the COVID-19 crisis, the hospital was appointed as an exclusive COVID-19 healthcare center to support the Anantapur district administration to handle the resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Dr. Daivavaram Paul, the head of surgery, gave me a tour of the different departments and provided key insights about his time in rural healthcare. He spoke of much of the misfortunes that the rural community faced, such as the inability to pay for a simple checkup, and how the hospital was combating this issue by finding the means to cover these costs. He also explained how the goal of RDT was to value patient care over profit. This respect for patient care drove the hospital to act as the sole COVID-19 healthcare center in Anantapur when other hospitals were hesitant to do so. The center’s 307 beds were repurposed to accommodate COVID-19 patients and since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 8,000 patients have been treated, an average of 150-200 patients per day. To help tackle the 3rd wave, the hospital is increasing its capacity by 70 beds and finding ways to increase oxygen supply. The staff at Bathalapalli Hospital exemplified the characteristics of dedication and commitment and were an inspiration to work with, especially in regard to how they handled the pandemic. For many years, I had viewed the healthcare in Andhra Pradesh as amateur, but my visit gave me a realization that hospitals like Bathalapalli Hospital were initiating change by battling inadequate healthcare.

Visiting Nallamala region 

The next portion of my trip was in the Nallamala region of Andhra Pradesh, where I met with the Srisailam RDT regional team and the regional director, Pushpa Latha. Pushpa spoke about how the Chenchu population was primarily dependent on the forest for their food and livelihood. However, they have to visit surrounding villages to sell their products and gather basic supplies, where they are susceptible to contracting the virus. Because of a lack of education on preventative measures and lack of belief in the vaccine, it was RDT’s mission to change the perception of vaccination and make the vaccine more accessible to the Chenchu tribe. For this reason, the monthly workshops they provided were vital to educating the public.

My first workshop began at a local tribal school in Nallamala. I was apprehensive to present in the local language, Telugu. Even though I was grateful to have been raised in a household that promoted speaking Telugu with each other, the Telugu I spoke at home was composed of more English words than I had realized. I was unsure if I would be delivering my message clearly with the new Telugu words I had just added to my vocabulary. However, the schoolgirls welcomed me with open arms. They were enthusiastic, inquisitive, and eager to advocate vaccinations within their own families. After the workshop, I attended a cultural awareness program where RDT was hosting a play to promote vaccination. The play helped increase trust in vaccination among the villagers. By the end of the play, more than 20 of the 30 villagers present had received their first dose of the vaccine. I was inspired by the persistence that the team showed to dispel hesitancy towards the vaccine. I concluded my trip with a workshop to the Chenchu tribe in the Nallamala forest. We took the 45-minute route that the healthcare workers take to reach the village to provide healthcare. After reaching the village, I was, once again, given a cordial welcome. Even though the villagers were more hesitant about being vaccinated, they were open to having the conversation about their mistrust. How RDT comforted the villagers while still pushing their agenda gave me insight on how to enhance my campaign for vaccine promotion.

My visit to Bathalapalli Hospital and the RDT office in Nallamala was an unforgettable experience. The dedication to service that Dr. Paul, Pushpa Latha, and the staff working at the RDT offices exemplify is a quality I hope to someday follow in my future endeavors.

I was asked by one of the girls in the tribal school Nuvvu tirigi vastava? (Will you visit again?). My response was Khaccitanga (definitely)!

Text: Tanvi Kosuri