INDIA / WHO MAHAKUMBH MELA

The World Health Organization (WHO) supported the Government of India in maintaining its polio-free status during the celebration of the Mahakumbh Mela. UN NEWS HINDI

• Video Length: 00:03:22
• Production Date: 6 March 2025
• Asset Language: Hindi
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: POLIO; RELIGION; HEALTH
• Geographic Subject: INDIA
• MAMS Id: 3346720
• Parent Id: 3346720
• Alternate Title: unifeed250306d

Description

STORY: INDIA / WHO MAHAKUMBH MELA
TRT: 3:22
SOURCE: UN NEWS HINDI
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: HINDI / NATS

DATELINE: 17 – 19 FEBRUARY 2025, PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA

Shotlist

18 FEBRUARY 2025, PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA

1. Aerial shot, of Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the Saraswati. Mahakumbh Mela 2025
2. Arial shot, of Sangam ghat, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the Saraswati. Mahakumbh Mela 2025
3. Aerial shot, people taking a dip at Mahakumbh Mela 2025 at the bank of Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the Saraswati
4. Med shot, People taking a dip at Mahakumbh Mela 2025 at the bank of Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the Saraswati
5. Med shot, a couple lighting incense at the confluence ghat

17 FEBRUARY 2025, PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA

6. Close up, incense burning by the banks of the Ganges River

18 FEBRUARY 2025, PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA
7. Med shot, devotees who came to bathe in the Sangam

19 EBRUARY 2025, PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA

8. Close up, the feet of the people who had come to bathe at the Mahakumbh

17 FEBRUARY 2025, PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA

9. Wide shot, people going to take the holy dip
10. Close up, priest drawing the symbol of Lord Shiva's trident on a child's forehead
11. Wide shot, people going to take the holy dip
12. Wide shot, people going to take the holy dip

18 FEBRUARY 2025, PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA

13. Wide shot, Ghaghar Nala, a sample collection site for detecting the polio virus
14. Wide shot, WHO doctors going to collect the samples
15. Close up, a sample collector wearing gloves
16. Close up, a sample collector wearing mask
17. Close up, sample collector in Ghaghar Nala uncoils a rope to lower a bucket for sample collection
18. Wide shot, a sample collector lowers a bucket into the Ghaghar Nala for sample collection
19. Wide shot, a sample collector fills a bottle with a sample from Ghaghar Nala to be taken to the lab
20. Close up, a sample collector fills a bottle with a sample from Ghaghar Nala to be taken to the lab
21. Close up, a sample collector fills a bottle with a sample from Ghaghar Nala to be taken to the lab
22. Close up, a sample collector fills a secure container with the sample and seals it for transport
23. Med shot, a sample is being transported to the lab for testing by motorcycle
24. Close up, WHO health worker is seen wearing a strap that says "WHO"
25. Med shot, sample collector is dropping a bucket into Ghaghar Nala to collect a sample.
26. Med shot, during sample collection, a WHO health worker is seen inspecting the bucket.
27. Close up, WHO doctor Alok Kumar is seen reviewing sample data.
28. Close up, WHO doctor Alok Kumar is seen writing sample data.
29. Wide shot, during sample collection, a WHO health worker is seen inspecting the bucket.
30. SOUNDBITE (Hindi) Dr. Pramod Kumar, District Immunization Officer, Prayagraj:
“The Kumbh Mela that has been organized has led us to work towards keeping the area polio-free. In view of this, we conduct environmental surveillance where we regularly collect samples, and we maintain the full chain of custody for each sample. We then send these samples to the lab solely for polio detection.”
31. Close up, a WHO hat
32. SOUNDBITE (Hindi) Dr. Pramod Kumar, District Immunization Officer, Prayagraj:
“This surveillance is a very essential part of epidemiology; as long as it continues, if any polio virus is detected, we can identify it and manage it early, thereby protecting everyone. At the fair, we have already informed all the hospitals that if any FD case arises, it should be reported. Additionally, we carry out environmental surveillance here as well, and both these measures have proven to be effective.’

Storyline

The World Health Organization (WHO) supported the Government of India in maintaining its polio-free status during the celebration of the Mahakumbh Mela.

Dr. Pramod Kumar, WHO’s District Immunization Officer in Prayagraj said, “we conduct environmental surveillance where we regularly collect samples, and we maintain the full chain of custody for each sample. We then send these samples to the lab solely for polio detection.”

Kumar also said, “This surveillance is a very essential part of epidemiology; as long as it continues, if any polio virus is detected, we can identify it and manage it early, thereby protecting everyone.”

“At the fair, we have already informed all the hospitals that if any FD case arises, it should be reported. Additionally, we carry out environmental surveillance here as well, and both these measures have proven to be effective,” the District Immunization Officer added.

Mahakumbh Mela is a significant Hindu religious event where millions of devotees take a holy dip at the at the Sangam Ghat, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the Saraswati rivers.

The 2025 Mahakumbh Mela was held from 13 January to 26 February 2025 and lasted 45 days, concluding with the Mahashivratri Snan (holy bath).