Throughout the course of this class, the country of choosing that has been analyzed is India. I picked India as I am an American citizen who bears Indian nationality and heritage. However, the very little that I have grasped regarding my Indian side has slowly faded away over time. Ultimately, I have been born and brought up in the US. Thus, as a result of wanting toi learn more about by heritage, I felt that picking India would be in my best interest. For the sake of this class obviously, one would come to terms with the idea that a typical disease to study should be sought out in order to properly begin assessing the anthropological aspects of our desired nation. Although I am of Indian nationality, my body acclimates to the environment like any other tourist or outsider as my body is not familiar with the environment and the things that are within respectively. I have traveled to India for vacation about 3 times in my life now, and I can confidently say that each time I have been there I have been diagnosed with loose stools and bowel movements that resonate malaria if not malaria. This has seen to be a relatively common theme for myself as a visitor who (at least from my experiences of living in United States) has a decently functioning immune system. This made me question, “If I am so easily susceptible to such sicknesses as a healthy grown child in the US, what happens to the children and people of India who live and thrive in this environment?”. For starters, I immediately dismissed one perspective of my own question suggesting that some individuals are able to build and develop immunity over time. However this begs the question, “what’s happening to everyone else?”. Seeing this, I have chose to study the effects of educating girls in reducing malaria related illnesses in India. For this, I have chosen to use the critical medical anthropological theory in order to scope down and piece together the different aspects that will be brought up in order to explain, interpret, and understand the phenomenon that is seen in India. These aspects may include several other determinants that contribute to the phenomenon such as cultural ideas, socioeconomic statuses, political views and standings, gender roles, ways of socializing, and many others. As a result of seeing such a broad variety of aspects to study, the  critical medical anthropological theory displays diseases and health under a more stern focus on political, economical, social ideologies. By seeing how these aspects, are structurally embedded into today’s society the relation between educating girls and contracting illnesses like malaria can become far more clearer. Ultimately, by using the critical medical anthropological theory I will be able to link these determinants together to better understand and prove how education or the lack thereof is indirectly linked to the increasing and or decreasing of malaria related illnesses in India.

            First of all, to start off with, in order to break down the ideas that are being put forth regarding malaria and the variety of dimensions it pertains to, an understanding of the illness must be developed first. Malaria is relatively known to be a, “mosquito-borne plague, which debilitates an estimated 300 million people yearly” (Tren, 2016). As mentioned earlier there are several aspects that be touched on as constituents towards the malaria epidemic in India. According to UNICEF India is the current holder of the second highest population in the world (Statistics, 2013). In addition to this, only 35.1% of the overall population are using improved sanitation facilities (Statistics, 2013). This leads onto the idea that if only 35.1%  of a population is using these facilities then that can only lead one to believe that perhaps the access to such facilities is equally as limited as well. This leads to discussion into the social and political standpoints of things. Just like any other country, India too has socioeconomic classes, and standards for each respectively. This translates into antibodies, and other health & safety measures for the higher – up classes in the pecking order. This is commonly found to be the case as a result of the higher ranked and status individuals having more money and possibly living in a cleaner environment with far more access to sanitation facilities and other safety measures. As far as the political aspect of this is concerned in relation to the civilians of India, a journal states, “resurgence of malaria in Sri Lanka, control and resurgence in India, the influence of war and postwar instability on drug resistance in Cambodia, increase in severe and cerebral malaria in Myanmar during prolonged political turmoil” (K Indraratna 1998). This was found from a journal written in affiliation with Chulalongkorn University, as it goes on to perfectly summarize the relation between malaria and political structure. A country with an instable governing system is bound to have outlaws, especially with second highest population in the world. If one were to delve deeper and look at the political side of things, it can be seen clearly that the higher socioeconomic individuals and groups are favored on a number of occasions across the board. As far as the individual idea of politics are concerned, there are clauses embedded within the governing societies in India that are merging as continued efforts to minimize the effects of these illnesses, however with changing governing leaders, changing parties, and changing policies, the effectiveness of such policies are thoroughly weakened. Simply enough, a combined result of these political and socioeconomic aspects contribute to increasing malaria related illnesses in India.

            Socioeconomic status and politics are simply one side of the story. As the critical medical anthropological theory has a wider scope than just economics and or politics. This newer idea to be brought to light is gender roles and social norms. Culture encapsulates a way of one’s living and social norms generally encapsulate the way that a society functions as a whole. More specifically, one can adhere to social norms as a series of guidelines to abide by in order to regulate the way a society chooses to conform to everyday life. Gender roles on the other hand is a pretty standard that has been seen all throughout time in different shapes and capacities. The idea that each sex pertains to certain array of tasks, followed by a certain state of mind and wrapped up with a lifestyle particular to an individual’s gender is generally what can be deemed as gender roles. The idea of how this pertains to malaria particularly is more broad than one would expect. Embarrassingly enough, the idea that one gender is treated as less than the other can be seen all across several countries all across the world in varying capacities. India is unfortunately no different, as pregnant women continue to get infected and across national averages, several pregnant women lack the immunity to sustain to proper standard living, resulting in several life – long symptoms and potentially even death in some cases. A source from the National Institute of Health wrote, “We conclude that pregnant women from this geographical area require systematic intervention owing to their high susceptibility to malaria during pregnancy and the puerperium.” (Singh 1999). As far as the anthropological perspective is concerned, UNICEF reports that, “In India, women have a share of 10 percent and 11 percent respectively in ministerial positions and the national parliament.” (Leadership and Participation 2013). As a result of not only being more susceptible as pregnant women but also fundamentally lacking proper representation across all governing bodies, women are seriously discriminated against. Thus, the concept of women bearing the strict gender role being one who gives birth plays into this epidemic as well. Where ultimately there are bigger signs up ahead suggesting that these gender roles incriminate on societal infrastructure, which allows for things like social norms and gender roles, to come into play. In addition to all of this, majority of the Indian population is Hindu in religion. Therefore another controversial aspect that can be brought to light are the several Hindu traditions that are continuing to be observed till this day. Just like any other nation India has its own set of traditions. While India already maintains the most optimal, moist environment to host parasites such as those transpire malaria, there are several ideals that build upon into this. Social norms that observe religious traditions such as leaving food out, or drinking unfiltered water straight from bodies of water in India can evidently cause major harm to the Indian population. Although, many Indian citizens have developed immunity and antibodies to parasites as such over the course of time, it is still undeniable that this is just one of several norms that are continued throughout society and work towards inherently increasing malaria related illnesses in India.

            Socioeconomic statuses, politics, gender roles and social norms are only some of the many cultural determinants that consolidate towards the increase in malaria related illnesses in India. There are several aspects to choose from, and even more perspectives that can be touched on respectively. It can be seen clearly that there are several ways to go about how one can approach and illness as such. In the thesis, a statement was made regarding the education in India and its indirect connection to the malaria levels as such. For starters, it has been made relatively apparent that not only for females but for males as well, ideals revolving around sanitation, infrastructural development, public support, and other ideas play major roles in terms of how one can approach analyzing these illnesses. Similarly enough, the same ideas can be used when approaching these illnesses using critical medical anthropological theory as a scope to measure and interpret the illnesses and the aspects around it. For starters, sanitation, infrastructural development and public support all are ultimately within the realm of economics and politics. Through this, one can further delve in to notice that the current situation in India, is a state of progress. Whilst UNICEF reports that by approximately 2012 the average female life expectancy as a percentage of the male’s life expectancy rounds out to roughly 105.4 percent (Statistics 2013). One would immediately look at this and assume all is well. However, once all the dots are connected, between socioeconomic statuses, politics, economics, social norms, etc. India’s ultimate reason for such a steady increase in malaria related illnesses would be the societal infrastructure. As record holders in population and pollution, alongside hosting parasites with the most optimal environment, ideals such as social norms and gender roles are some of the many factors that allow the rates of these illnesses to slowly rise again.

At this point, one may ask what is the solution to such a rampantly arising issue. As a result the focus shifts to education. Once again UNICEF clearly shows that as of 2012, the adult literacy rate with the females being a percentage of the males rounds out to be approximately 67.6 percent (Statistics 2013). To put this into context, for every three guys that have breached a standard amount of literacy in India, only two women have met similar standards. When one mixes all these cultural determinants to understand that this epidemic is more than just the illness itself, one seems to then only be able to remotely understand that a bigger approach to this epidemic is required. Whilst both the causes that allow for the development of this, and the effects of these illnesses are detrimental to individuals and society alike, a more educated crowd will fare off far better in the long run in an epidemic such as this one. The untied nations reported that, “More than 80 percent of women in the region are employed in vulnerable jobs, which lack the protection of labour laws.” (Data on Women 2013). Not only do the women lack representation, and are far more undereducated than men, on top of which they are more susceptible to these illnesses regardless of pregnancy (Which if if they are, only increases the likelihood of contracting this illness),  they are simply not protected by the laws that are placed in order. Educating women and increasing their literacy rate will allow women all over the nation of India to better understand the public infrastructure at hand and how to represent themselves in a governing body as such. In addition to all of this, the idea that education will also allow for socioeconomic standards to be far more leveled out, which in turn will allow for more access to jobs and networking, whilst boosting the Indian economy more Indians (especially women) will gain access to proper sanitation facilities and thus by educating women, those who are pregnant will be able to take more proper precautions and won’t have to face the agony that many other Indian mother’s have had to face such as unhealthy births, irregular heartbeats, miscarriages, and several other major issues. All – in – all, these infrastructural ideals are only some of several topics that can be discussed, however by cultivating a more educated society several benefits can be reaped. Ultimately, the effects of educating girls will allow for the reduction of malaria related illnesses in India.    

Sources – Health Issue

Dhankar, Susheela. (2017), “Http://Ljournal.ru/Wp-Content/Uploads/2017/03/a-2017-023.Pdf.” INCREASING TREND OF INFANT MORTALITY IN RURAL REGIONS OF INDIA, 2017, doi:10.18411/a-2017-023.

K, Indaratna. (1998), “Centre for Health Economics, Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.”, Parassitologia, europepmc.org/abstract/med/9653730.

Nájera, José A., et al. (2011), “Some Lessons for the Future from the Global Malaria Eradication Programme (1955–1969).”, PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000412.

Shabani, and Savita Kumari. (2019), “A Review on the Evidence Base on the Management of Malaria.” Research & Reviews: A Journal of Pharmacology, pharmajournals.stmjournals.in/index.php/RRJoP/article/view/443.

Singh, N, et al. (1999) “Epidemiology of Malaria in Pregnancy in Central India.” Bulletin of the World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 1999, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2557706/.

Tren, Richard. (2016), “WHEN POLITICS KILLS MALARIA AND THE DDT STORY.” Https://Www.calepa.ca.gov, Calepa.ca, 2016, www.calepa.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2016/10/CEPC-2010yr-AsltonBird-AppAEx14.pdf.

Sources – Anthropological Theory

“Data on Women.” (2013), UN Women | Asia and the Pacific, asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/countries/india/data-on-women.

“Leadership and Participation.” (2013), (UN Women | Asia and the Pacific, asiapacific.unwomen.org/en/countries/india/leadership-and-participation.

Mukhopadhyay, Carol Chapnick., and Susan C. Seymour. (1996) Women, Education, and Family Structure in India. Westview Press, 1996.

“Statistics.” UNICEF, 27 Dec. 2013, www.unicef.org/infobycountry/india_statistics.html.