SCHEDULED
TRIBES AND HEALTH ISSUES – POLITY
News:
STs trail non-STs in 81
health measures: 2021 study | Data
What's
in the news?
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A recent study in ‘The Lancet Regional
Health — Southeast Asia’ has analyzed health, nutrition, and population trends
among Scheduled Tribes (STs) in India from 2016 to 2021 using data from
National Family Health Surveys.
Key
findings of the study:
1.
Scheduled Tribes (STs) Population:
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According to the 2011 Census, there are
over 104 million STs spread across 705 recognised ethnic groups. They make up
8.6% of India’s population.
2.
Challenges faced by STs over non-STs:
●
In 2021, the non-ST population
outperformed the ST population in 81 out of 129 indicators. STs continued to
face challenges, particularly concerning women’s status and major public health
issues such as child malnutrition, anaemia, insufficient vaccination coverage
and disparities in fertility and mortality rates.
3.
Child Mortality:
●
The child mortality rate for STs was
alarmingly high, with 50 out of every 1,000 children not surviving to their
fifth birthday.
4.
Child Malnutrition:
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Child malnutrition was a significant
issue, with over 40% of ST children under five being stunted and underweight.
5.
High Blood Pressure:
●
Between 2016 and 2021, there was a notable
increase in high blood pressure levels among ST men and women aged 15–49 with
increases of 7.5% and 8.9%, respectively.
6.
Indicators in which STs outperformed non-STs:
●
STs surpassed non-STs in indicators such
as gender balance, gender balance at birth, use of family planning methods,
consistent treatment during pregnancy and adherence to recommended
breastfeeding practices.
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Moreover, STs showed a reduced occurrence
of diabetes and hypertension compared to non-STs.
7.
Improvements made by STs between 2016 to 2021:
During this period, STs
made progress in indicators such as:
●
Sanitation
Facilities: Access to improved sanitation facilities
improved significantly, with a 30.4 percentage point increase from 2015–2016 to
2019–2021.
●
Skilled
Birth Attendance: More births were attended by skilled
health personnel, increasing by 13 percentage points.
●
Full
Vaccination Coverage: Coverage for full vaccination among
children aged 12–23 months increased by 18.6 points.
●
Civil
Birth Registration: Civil registration of births among STs
also rose from 76% in 2016 to 88% in 2021, indicating better documentation and
recognition of births within the community.
Challenges
in Tribal Health:
1.
Lack of Infrastructure:
●
Inadequate healthcare facilities and infrastructure
in tribal areas.
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Insufficient access to clean water and
sanitation facilities.
2.
Shortage of Medical Professionals:
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Limited presence of doctors, nurses and
healthcare professionals in tribal regions.
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Difficulty in attracting and retaining skilled
healthcare personnel in remote areas.
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Imbalance in the distribution of
healthcare professionals with a concentration in urban areas.
3.
Connectivity and Geographic Barriers:
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Remote locations and difficult terrain
hinder access to healthcare services.
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Lack of proper roads, transportation
facilities and communication networks.
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Challenges in reaching tribal communities
during emergencies and providing timely medical assistance.
4.
Affordability and Financial Constraints:
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Limited financial resources and low-income
levels among tribal communities.
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Inability to afford healthcare expenses,
including medical treatments, medicines and diagnostics.
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Lack of awareness about available
healthcare schemes and insurance options.
5.
Cultural Sensitivities and Language Barriers:
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Unique cultural practices and beliefs that
impact healthcare-seeking behaviour.
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Language barriers between healthcare
providers and tribal communities, leading to miscommunication and inadequate
care.
●
Lack of culturally sensitive healthcare
services that respect tribal customs and traditions.
6.
Limited Access to Essential Services:
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Insufficient availability of essential
healthcare services such as maternal and child health, immunization and
preventive care.
●
Inadequate access to specialized care,
diagnostic facilities and emergency medical services.
●
Limited awareness about health issues,
preventive measures and healthcare rights among tribal communities.
7.
Inadequate Funding and Resource Allocation:
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Limited allocation of funds for healthcare
in tribal areas.
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Insufficient investment in healthcare
infrastructure, equipment and technology.
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Lack of dedicated funding for addressing
tribal health challenges and implementing targeted interventions.
WAY
FORWARD:
●
Launch a National Tribal Health Action Plan to bring the status of health
and healthcare at par with the respective State averages in the next 10 years.
●
Address
10 priority health problems, the health care gap, the human
resource gap and the governance problems.
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Allocation
of additional money so that the per capita government health
expenditure on tribal people becomes equal to the stated goal of the National
Health Policy (2017), i.e., 2.5% of the per capita GDP.
●
Mission
mode implementation: The Health Minister and the 10 States with
a sizable tribal population should take the initiative.
●
Eliminate
the manpower shortage: Harness the potential of community
health providers and ASHA workers for basic diagnostics and essential primary
medical care. Incentives to doctors to work in remote areas.
The tribal healthcare
system is sick, and tribal people need more substantive solutions. We need to
move from symbolic gestures to substantive promises, from promises to a
comprehensive action plan, and from an action plan to realizing the goal of a
healthy tribal people. If actualised, the Tribal Health Mission can be the path
to a peaceful health revolution for the 11 crore tribal people.