44 young residents join awareness run as health officials seek to boost routine immunisation in one of Meghalaya’s most challenging districts

ROOPAK GOSWAMI

SHILLONG, June 6: In a district where difficult terrain and vaccine hesitancy continue to pose challenges to immunisation efforts, local youth have emerged as unlikely public health ambassadors, with 44 young residents of Sakwang village today participating in a five-kilometre awareness run aimed at encouraging routine vaccination among children.

The event, titled “Run for Health: Immunise Every Child, Protect Their Future,” began at dawn from the Sakwang Urban Health and Wellness Centre and drew enthusiastic participation from young people aged 16 to 25 years. Several younger children also joined a shorter run, turning the event into a community-wide show of support for child health.

Organised under the GAVI HSS-3 programme by Tattva Foundation in partnership with the National Health Mission (NHM), Meghalaya, and UNICEF India, the initiative forms part of a broader effort to improve immunisation coverage in areas with historically low uptake.

South West Khasi Hills remains one of Meghalaya’s most challenging districts for routine immunisation, owing to a combination of difficult terrain, scattered settlements and persistent vaccine hesitancy. Against this backdrop, organisers said the marathon represented a deliberate shift away from conventional awareness campaigns towards community-led advocacy.

Health officials and programme organisers said the programme seeks to harness the influence of local youth to build trust in vaccines and encourage families to ensure their children receive life-saving immunisations. In communities where hesitancy remains a barrier, visible community action can often have a greater impact than posters, pamphlets or public announcements.

Organisers said the initiative seeks to make immunisation a visible community cause rather than merely a public health message. In areas where vaccine hesitancy persists, they believe seeing local youth publicly champion vaccination can help spark conversations within families and encourage greater acceptance of routine immunisation.

“When young people in a community publicly stand up for immunisation, it sends a message that no pamphlet or poster can. Families take notice. That is the kind of demand generation that creates lasting change,” a representative of the Tattva Foundation said.

Participants said the event offered them an opportunity to contribute directly to the well-being of their community.

“I have participated in races before, but this one felt different. When you run for a cause, especially for the health of children in your own village, every step means something. I hope this inspires more families to get their children vaccinated,” a participant from Sakwang village said.

Officials from the Office of the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) and the district administration attended the programme, underscoring the importance of collaboration between government agencies and local communities in achieving universal immunisation coverage.

The marathon is part of a series of Community Immunisation Day activities being rolled out across intervention districts in Meghalaya with low immunisation coverage rates. Organisers hope the model of youth-led engagement will strengthen grassroots demand for vaccines while creating a sustainable framework for community-driven health advocacy.

For health officials, the significance of the event extended beyond the five-kilometre run. In communities where misinformation and hesitancy can linger for years, the sight of dozens of young people publicly backing immunisation may prove more persuasive than any awareness campaign, reinforcing the message that protecting children is a responsibility shared by the entire community.

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