Socially accountable and residing in a practical and identifiable world, Siyana Sultan instructs folks concerning the widespread illness Tuberculosis. He has been crafted utilizing the ‘knowledgeable affected person’ framework, for it’s a widespread perspective amongst Pakistanis that they rely extra on the advices and opinions of closed ones akin to associates, kinfolk or neighbours as an alternative of an individual specialised in a sure space. Furthermore, self-medication is prevalent at massive, on account of which cough and fever are handled in an off-hand method with out contemplating that each of them are the signs of TB. Sultan is a personality who has remained a affected person of TB up to now. Having fought in opposition to it and efficiently recovering from it, he features the place of an genuine supply for gaining info on the illness, particularly for his fellow villagers who keep away from visiting docs. Equally, he can discover the signs like cough, fever, lack of weight and discern to what extent they’ve grown contagious for the individual earlier than him.
Nevertheless, it can’t be mentioned that Sultan himself turns into a immodest authority who stops folks from visiting docs, however advises his neighbours to begin a correct medicinal course and forbids them from drug resistance. ‘Drug Resistance’ is a vital matter which must be highlighted. Folks on this a part of the world not solely cease taking medicines as a result of their side-effects damage them, however licentiousness the course halfway once they begin to get better. An episode of this cartoon collection states this necessary indisputable fact that leaving the course on observing restoration ends in deadly relapse. A neighbour of Sultan named Bashir stops taking medication owing to shivering and stomach-ache, on account of which he’s evenly rebuked by Sultan who informs him concerning the inevitable side-effects of TB medication akin to nausea, lack of urge for food and stomach-aches. The identical episode subtly hints on the pre-conceived notions associated to genders, for Bashir believes that his spouse’s obligation is to take care of the home solely and she or he can’t take him to the physician. Siyana Sultan makes Bashir drop this standard thought and instructs his spouse to take her husband to the physician and observe what the physician has to say concerning the illness. Thus, this cartoon collection factors at conventional gender roles as nicely and propagates the thought of mutual understanding and care which might play an necessary function in treating folks of ailments.
One other episode of Siyana Sultan talks concerning the society’s perspective in the direction of individuals who sadly are passionate about Tuberculosis and are made to regret it. Bashir is insulted in a gathering and no youngster is allowed to go close to him. Sultan discourages this mortifying perspective and makes use of the ‘unlearning’ instrument of Alvin Toffler to make the folks drop their misconceptions concerning the illness and makes use of the ‘relearning’ instrument of the identical author to boost their data by telling that it isn’t by shaking fingers or being in shut contact that the illness spreads. Its spreading may be averted if the affected person makes routine use of a handkerchief and as an alternative of spitting right here and there, retains a bin for himself or herself. This episode, apart from instructing that boiled handkerchiefs and a nutritious diet may be preventative measures for TB management additionally asks folks to cease ridiculing Tuberculosis sufferers, for it isn’t the smitten one that is dangerous, however the illness.
Siyana Sultan is a rigorously and intelligently created cartoon collection, the Punjabi language of which makes it comprehensible for almost all of nation’s inhabitants. The life like aspect has been connected to it by setting the collection in a village and making the cartoons put on garments belonging to their very personal tradition. Utilizing a rural space helps in educating the a part of inhabitants to which consciousness concerning this contagious illness isn’t transferred simply. Furthermore, growing a cartoon character for imparting data is an attraction for kids as nicely, who in a young age will be capable to obtain info on Tuberculosis and therefore, be capable to deal with it in a correct method in the event that they or their closed ones sadly encounter the illness. It’s a commendable effort by Mercy Corps, for cartoons are thought of for the aim of leisure solely. Nevertheless, chunks of data if integrated in a refined method, could make cartoons useful, and might also assist in refuting the concept that cartoons cater a particular age-group.
