Waste pickers and mosquito-borne disease: A photovoice project in India

Waste pickers in India are extremely vulnerable to a range of health problems due to their poor living and unsafe working conditions, and struggle to access the health services they are entitled to. This research uses a community-based participatory research and focuses specifically on mosquito-borne diseases in two districts of Andhra Pradesh, exploring how they impact the lives of waste pickers, the extent to which waste pickers are reached by preventive interventions and potential opportunities for better prevention and control of these diseases. Alongside other participatory methods, Photovoice was used to understand community perspectives, highlighting how issues such as poor housing, inadequate water supply and lack of drainage increase waste pickers’ vulnerability. Disconnection from the health system and local government impacts the ability of waste pickers to access preventive interventions and seek care. This project is hosted by the Dalit Bahujan Resource Centre, supported by grants from the Medical Research Council UK and Royal Society of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.  It is led by Bea Egid and Pavani Pendyala.