Tribal Health Problems, Disease Burden and Ameliorative Challenges in Tribal Communities with Special Emphasis on Tribes of Orissa

About a half of the autochthonous people of the world with about 635 tribal groups and subgroups including 75 primitive tribes live in India. The state of Orissa occupies a unique position in the tribal map of India having 62 scheduled tribes including 13 primitive tribes with a population of over 8.15 million constituting 22.3% of the population of the state as per 2001 Census. There is a paucity of comprehensive health research among the tribal populations of India. Most of the studies are isolated and fragmentary in nature. There is an urgent need for initiating the area specific, tribe specific, action oriented health research in consonance with the felt needs of the tribal communities. The research should be mission oriented, having practical applications and directed towards improving the quality of life of tribal people. The health scenario of tribes of Orissa presents a kaleidoscopic mosaic of various communicable and noncommunicable diseases in consonance with socio-economic developments in the state. The wide spread poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, absence of safe drinking water and sanitary conditions, poor maternal and child health services, ineffective coverage of national health and nutritional services, etc. are the major contributing factors for dismal health in tribal communities of Orissa. There is a heavy burden of communicable, noncommunicable and silent killer genetic diseases prevalent in tribal communities of Orissa. Many of the infectious and parasitic diseases can be prevented with timely intervention, health awareness, and information, education and communication (IEC) skilled activities. In spite of the tremendous advancement in the field of preventive and curative medicine, the health care delivery services in tribal communities especially in Orissa are still poor and need amelioration and strengthening with sustenance on the guidelines suggested to achieve the targeted goals of health for all in India. Unless locality specific, tribe specific and need-based health care delivery system is evolved which is appropriate, acceptable, accessible, and affordable, the goal of health for all would remain a Utopian dream!