As a teenager, it is hard enough dealing with the emotional challenges of growing; add to it the stigma of living with HIV. Then there are researchers who aim to improve the mental health of these teenagers without ever involving them in the process! This leads to a disconnect between lived experience and research outcomes. It is a little-recognized barrier to effective mental health interventions for marginalised communities. 

Attapady

Bengaluru
24 Jul 2020

In 2013, over 50 infants died in Attapadi —a protected area in the Palakkad district of Kerala. This incident, and more deaths in the subsequent years, put the spotlight on the health of the tribal population that lives here. Several underlying health issues, including malnutrition and infant mortality, were identified to be rampant. Both the central and state governments responded with a financial package to provide healthcare and related facilities to these communities free of cost. Seven years later, a new study has found that free healthcare hasn't solved the problem of poor access to healthcare and high levels of infant mortality.