Introspection of Tribal Health Issues and NGOs: Examination of Literatures

Abstract

Health is one of the vital indicators shimmering the inclusive progress of any community. Tribal's (natives/indigenous) unique health culture creates an inimitable example of beliefs and perceptions as to what ‘health’ or ‘illness’ actually means. In turn, this pattern of tribal's beliefs influence how symptoms are recognised, to what they are attributed, and how they are interpreted, and this affects how and when health services are sought. Today, majority of the Indian tribes are facing various communicable and non-communicable diseases. Medical Sociologist/Anthropologists felt that the lack of optimal utilisation of modern health services by tribal people is due to a variety of socio-economic reasons. Among the most critical of these are issues of awareness and role of external agencies like the Govt. and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Many reputed NGOs have been working towards health issues of the tribal people. As far as an organic linkage with the tribal health is concerned, there is no basic service for a comprehensive health intervention attempt to understand tribal health culture as a sub-culture complex in developing a culturally suited healthcare delivery system especially for the tribal people of the country. Study about impact of NGOs on tribal health development covers a wide range of theoretical and geographic territory. Very little work, however, has entailed an in-depth analytical study of comparative emic perspectives of different factors influencing tribal health and impact of NGOs’ role and its outcome. This paper is based on the survey of various literatures and personnel experiences of the author to provide solid platform for discussion on current health issues of the tribes.