This paper attempts to understand the 'communities' perception of protectio
n, prevention and immunity in the specific context of measles and child hea
lth in general. The-attempt here is to understand the various perceptions o
f the causation of measles and the quest for therapy in diverse socio-cultu
ral contexts in India. The analysis focuses,on the notion of 'preventable d
isease' as understood by the community, and on what constitutes prevention
and immunity against measles.