Lok Sabha Question No. 3939 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-04
Subject: Tribal Health
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: BALABHADRA MAJHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3939 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 TH JANUARY, 2019

## TRIBAL HEALTH

## 3939. SHRI BALABHADRA MAJHI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has set up a sub -committee on Tribal Health to assess the health situation of Tribal people in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)  the  details  and  the  outcome  of problems  and  solutions  suggested  by  the  Committee  for Tribals in M.P., Odisha, HP, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a)& (b) : An Expert Committee on Tribal Health was constituted jointly by the Ministry Health & Family Welfare and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs which submitted its report Ministry. The Report is available in public domain at http://www.nhm.gov.in/nrhm - updates/598 -report - of - the - expert - committee - on- tribal - health.html
- (c ): The committee has not given any state specific recommendation s. The status of Tribal Health has been summarized in the report as under:

Tribal  people  have  the  poorest  health  status  and  they  carry  a  triple  burden  of Moreover,  despite  the  high  reliance  of  the  tribal  people  on  the  public  health  care system  in Scheduled Areas, it continues to be characterized by low output, low quality and low ou delivery system, often targeting wrong priorities. An important reason behind this is complete  absence  of  community  participation  in  the  planni ng,  design  and  implementation  of health services. Therefore, restructuring and strengthening of the public health care s accordance  with  the  needs  and  aspirations  of  the  tribal  communities,  and  with  thei participation, should be the highest priority for the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, bot at the Centre and in the states.

Contd……….

The gist of the broad key recommendations include:

- Promise of Universal Health Assurance and Ayushman Bharat should begin with triba areas.
- 70% resources for tribal health to go for Primary Health Care including preventio promotion.
- Move the health care delivery towards the communities.
- Engage & empower local STs for health (Panchasheel policy).
- Health care basket should be broadened.

The st eps taken by the Ministry include:

- (i) A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  has  been  signed  between  Ministry  of  Health  and Family  Welfare  and  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  to  implement    Health  and  Wellne Ambassadors  initiative  under  Ayushman  Bharat  in  Ashram  and  schoo ls  funded  by Ministry  of  Tribal  in  all  the  functional  Eklavya  Model  Residential  Schools,  as schools and other school supported by MoTA.
- (ii)Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been requested to schedule a dissemination workshop
- (iii) As desired by NITI Aayog, the Ministry is identifying 10 to 15 critical recommendations and an Action Plan to be shared with States to enable preparat of State specific plan of action.

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