Dr. Jaydeep Choudhury

Early Detection in Kolkata, India

“It was not difficult to get a large audience. They bombarded us with questions,” says Dr. Choudhury of the inaugural World Pneumonia Day events in Kolkata, India.

Getting Started

Joining the fight against pneumonia came naturally to Dr Choudhury, who was used to seeing many cases at his hospital. “The mortality is quite high. The children who come in early get proper treatment and get well.” Sadly, too few parents recognize the early symptoms of the disease.

Selecting a Message

Based on this insight, Dr Choudhury and his team at Kolkata’s Institute of Child Health decided to make early detection the key message of their pneumonia campaign. As they wanted to reach several audiences, they decided to hold multiple events. First, a rally for school children raised awareness among the general public. Then, an information session for parents taught pneumonia’s warning signs and highlighted the importance of early detection. Finally, a medical seminar presented the latest research and provided a compilation of the literature to local physicians.

Getting the Word Out

To engage the public, Dr Choudhury’s team posted fliers in the hospital and invited the print and broadcast media to attend the events. “All the media outlets wanted to know if any celebrities were going to speak,” says Dr. Choudhury. Yet even without a famous spokesperson, the local newspapers did cover the events.

The Results

Each of the events was well attended. Approximately 280 people participated in the 2km march from the Institute of Child Health to the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, West Bengal Office. The rally included students, teachers, parents, doctors, a police escort and a marching band. Key messages about pneumonia were announced on a public address system and were reinforced in the marchers’ banners and posters.

Later at the Q&A session, more than 300 parents peppered medical experts with questions on pneumonia treatment and prevention. Parents who were unable to attend the information session arrived at the hospital afterwards, eager to hear what they had missed. In the months following the events, parents bringing their children to clinics for pneumonia treatment often referenced the sessions and the information they learned.

Words of Advice

Based on Dr. Choudhury’s interactions with the media, he suggests engaging local stars. Having a well-known name speak at your event will help interest the press.

Dr. Choudhury also suggests focusing on building public awareness rather than educating the medical community. “The doctors already knew about pneumonia,” he says, but the community’s desire for information was overwhelming.

His last piece of advice? “Make the events interactive.” The back-and-forth nature of the Q&A may be why so many Kolkata parents still remember the event.