Gagandeep Kang is a specialist in enteric diseases who supported the development and introduction of an indigenous rotavirus vaccine in India. She also helped build networks to track illnesses in hospitals and communities. In 2019 she became the first Indian woman elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in 2024 she received the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award. She now works at the Gates Foundation as director for enterics, diagnostics, genomics and epidemiology.
Kang notes that infant mortality used to be very high and has fallen a lot, but viral infections among children have not fallen as much. She argues that policy should look beyond deaths to hospital admissions and time spent ill, and she says vaccines are essential because some viruses spread widely across social classes.
Difficult words
- enteric — related to the stomach and intestines
- indigenous — made or developed in the same country
- track — watch the progress or location of something
- fellow — a member of a learned society or group
- infant mortality — the number of babies who die young
- epidemiology — the study of how diseases spread
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think vaccines are important for children? Why or why not?
- How could hospitals or communities track illnesses where you live?
- Why is it important to look at hospital admissions as well as deaths?
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