Report of the study to understand the Health Status and Healthcare Systems in Selected Tribal Areas of India
Report prepared by Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement in collaboration with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare & WHO Country Office for India
Source: http://whoindia.org/EN/Section2_1848.htm
Abstract
The health sector in India has witnessed tremendous growth. India has built up health infrastructure and manpower at primary, secondary and tertiary care in government, voluntary and private sectors and made considerable progress in improving the health of its population. However, it continues to face numerous health challenges, including a dual burden of disease, both communicable and non-communicable
Furthermore, the health status of a great majority of the people is far from satisfactory. This is especially true for 84.33 million people classified as Scheduled Tribes (ST). Scheduled Tribes, who constitute 8.2% of the total population, comprise of around 461 groups of tribes spread over 26 states and Union Territories. Included in these categories are 74 tribes who have been identified as “Primitive Tribal Groups” (now known as Particularly Vulnerable Group), characterized by pre agricultural level of technology, extremely low level of literacy and extreme poverty.
Various studies have shown that even today, despite rapid strides in the field of diagnostics and therapeutics, adequate health care is not yet within the reach of tribals. There is a consensus among various governmental programs to pay special attention to the marginalized Scheduled tribe population. However, the actual state of health and health care in ST areas has not been adequately documented.
With this in view, a study was undertaken to examine the health status of Scheduled Tribes and suggest ways in improving the health care delivery for tribal populations under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). This study was undertaken in the States of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra and Karnataka which are home for 47% of the Schedule Tribes of the country.
Please find attached the abridged form of the report and the full report can be downloaded from this link: http://whoindia.org/EN/Section2_1848.htm