Mysuru: In a bid to boost health care access among the adivasi population in the state, the tribal development department has proposed six innovative programmes.
The programmes were designed taking into account the specific socio-economic and cultural context of adivasi and tribal communities predominantly spread in green rich districts including Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada.
According to the proposal, one of the innovative programmes to be launched include setting up of facilities to improve referral and healthcare experience of adivasi and tribal communities at district and higher level hospitals.
According to the authorities, these programmes include construction of 10 Dharmashala centres (patient dormitory) at medical colleges/ district hospitals in nine districts, appointment of adivasi social workers at taluk public hospitals and district hospitals, establishment of tribal health cell in community medicine department of district government medical colleges, mobile health units for tribal dominated areas with diagnostic equipment and medicine. It also includes health camps with doctors and nurses, strengthening public engagement with science, environment and health behaviour among tribal communities.
“We are planning to implement these new programmes from January 2021,” said tribal welfare department director Sangappa.
Mysuru region will benefit most of these schemes as all the districts of this region as it has a huge population of tribal persons. According to the concept note prepared by the department, priority areas include maternal and child health care, NCDs like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, stroke, mental health and injuries.
Authorities say due to financial and social barriers, several tribal patients who are referred for higher care for serious or life-threatening conditions often do not seek care due to higher level hospitals being located in big cities and towns. The department will work closely with district health and hospital administration in seven districts as well as with NGOs and community-based organisations to set up accommodation and other services to support tribal patients and caregivers who are referred.
“The action plan has been prepared after consulting the doctors and NGOs. The mobile health units are already functional in Mysuru district,” said Sangappa.
It’s very important to ensure quality health care for the adivasis who stay in the forests and are invisible to the larger society. So, we came up with the project which can be supported by both Union and state governments. This year, the funding will be done by the Centre. There is also need of sensitising the health care professionals on treating them. The new initiative is aimed at ensuring best health care support for them, said Dr N Nagambika Devi, additional chief secretary, social welfare department.