Tribal Districts Of Odisha Research Articles

Role of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Consortium in Strengthening the Livelihoods of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) gatherers in Tribal Districts of Odisha

Abstract: Minor forest products (MFPs) serve as indispensable pillars supporting the intricate socio-economic fabric of tribal communities, permeating every aspect of their livelihoods. These natural resources not only sustain their existence but also serve as conduits for economic sustenance and cultural preservation. The collection and trade of minor forest products emerge as vital lifelines for tribal households, constituting primary avenues for income generation and economic stability. Through meticulous seasonal gathering, tribal members procure a rich diversity of Non-Timber Forest Products (MINOR FOREST PRODUCESMFPs) essential for their sustenance, encompassing a spectrum of necessities ranging from nourishment to medicinal remedies. These products, intricately woven into the tapestry of tribal life, include a plethora of resources such as medicinal plants, succulent fruits, aromatic resins, and an array of other non-timber forest products, each holding profound significance in the daily lives of forest-dwelling communities.

Sequential outbreaks due to mixed ctxB alleles of Vibrio cholerae O1 in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, India.

Cholera is a significant threat causing outbreaks/epidemics with high morbidity and mortality in coastal and tribal districts of Odisha. A sequential cholera outbreak reported from four places in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha during June to July 2009 was investigated. Rectal swabs from diarrhea patients were analyzed for the identification, antibiogram profiles and detection of ctxB genotypes by double mismatch amplification mutation (DMAMA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and sequenced. The different virulent and drug resistant genes were detected by multiplex PCR assays. The clonality analysis on selected strains was done by pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Bacteriological analysis of rectal swabs revealed the presence of V. cholerae O1 Ogawa biotype El Tor which were resistant to co-trimoxazole, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, ampicillin, nalidixic acid, erythromycin, furazolidone and polymyxin B. DMAMA-PCR assay revealed that the cholera outbreak in Mayurbhanj district was due to both ctxB1 and ctxB7 alleles of V. cholerae O1 El Tor strains. All the V. cholerae O1 strains were positive for all virulence genes. The multiplex PCR assay on V. cholerae O1 strains revealed the presence of antibiotic resistance genes like dfrA1 (100%), intSXT (100%), sulII (62.5%) and StrB (62.5%). PFGE results on V. cholerae O1 strains exhibited two different pulsotypes with 92% similarity. This outbreak was a transition phase where both ctxB genotypes were prevalent after which the ctxB7 genotype gradually became dominant in Odisha. Therefore, close monitoring and continuous surveillance on diarrheal disorders is essential to prevent the future diarrheal outbreaks in this region.

A cross sectional study to identify factors determining low birth weight babies observed in a tribal district of Odisha, India

A cross sectional study to identify factors determining low birth weight babies observed in a tribal district of Odisha, India

A cross sectional study to identify factors determining low birth weight babies observed in a tribal district of Odisha, India

Birth weight is one of the important determinants of the chance of new born babies to survive and experience healthy growth and development. So present study was done to find some risk factors associated with delivering low birth weight (LBW) babies by the tribal womens in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, India. A cross sectional, institution-community based study was undertaken over a period of 3 months on mothers at various hospitals and community in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. The study group consisted of 100 mothers who had LBW babies and compared with 100 mothers who had normal birth weight babies, as control group. Factors like age at marriage, education of mother, family income, weight before pregnancy, weight gain during pregnancy, number of parity, completed months of pregnancy, hemoglobin level, blood pressure, infection, chronic disease, physical work, intake of iron and folic acid, alcohol consumption, use of tobacco etc. were compared between the two groups. Among the mothers of LBW babies, 70 (86.41%) had married between 15-19 years of age, 36 (94.73%) attained education up to primary level, 21 (91.30%) had family income< Rs. 1000 per months, 25 (80.64%) had achieved last conception at the age of 19 years, 14 (66.66%) had birth spacing <19 months, 42 (73.68%) had height<150cm, 70 (75.26%) had hemoglobin level<11gm/dl, 64 (78.04%) had malaria during pregnancy, 30 (85.71%) had done hard physical work during pregnancy, 42 (73.68%) had inadequate ANC visits, 91(73.98%) had no additional diet during pregnancy, 59 (83.09%) had consumed alcohol and 56 (77.77%) were addicted with tobacco during and before pregnancy. In addition to these factors, various epidemiological factors, the maternal factors like antenatal care, parity, inter pregnancy interval and bad obstetric history are also found to influence birth weight. Hence, it is the need of the hour to strengthen the existing maternal services at the basic level of community.

Occupational Mobility in Farming Sector: An Analysis in Coastal and Tribal Districts of Odisha, India

The continuous migration of Indian rural youth from farming to the non-farming sector has caused concern among the policy makers. If not checked, it is likely to affect the future agricultural activities and thereby future agrarian economy. Present research was carried out during 2020 with a comparative analysis among the respondents of the coastal district (Jagatsinghpur) and tribal district (Mayurbhanj) of Odisha with a randomly chosen sample of 480 respondents, 240 from each district including 120 each from the first-generation (father) and second-generation (son). The study aimed to find out prevalence of intergenerational occupational mobility in farming sector by using transition probability matrix to describe the pattern of mobility and direction of their movement. A statistically significant difference was found between occupations of the first and second generation in both tribal and coastal districts with hhigher occupational mobility in the coastal district. The coastal district showed a 19.17 per cent decrease in the numbers of farmers than the tribal district. The result showed 49 per cent and 62 per cent of absolute mobility rates in intergenerational occupation in tribal and coastal districts, respectively. There was prevalence of both upward and downward mobility in occupation in the farming sector in both tribal and coastal districts of Odisha.

Serological survey for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among tribal communities of Odisha post-second wave.

Serial national level serosurveys in India have provided valuable information regarding the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the general population, but the impact of the ongoing pandemic on the tribal population in India is not well understood. In this study, we evaluated the seroprevalence of COVID-19 antibodies in the tribal population of Odisha post-second wave (September 2021). A population-based, age-stratified, cross-sectional study design was adopted for the survey, carried out in seven tribal districts of Odisha from 30th August to 16th September 2021. A multistage random sampling method was used where serum samples were tested for antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein in each district, and a weighted seroprevalence with 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) was estimated for each district. A total of 2855 study participants were included from the seven tribal districts of Odisha in the final analysis. The overall weighted seroprevalence was 72.8 per cent (95% CI: 70.1-75.3). Serological prevalence was the highest among 18-44 yr (74.4%, 95% CI: 71.3-77.3) and from Sambalpur district [75.90% (66.90-83.10)]. Among participants, 41.93 per cent had received at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. Kandhamal district had the highest number of fully immunized participants (24.78%), and in Sundergarh district, most of the study participants (58.1%) were unimmunized. This study found high seroprevalence against SARS-CoV-2 in the tribal population of Odisha. The vaccination coverage is at par with the general population, and efforts to address some knowledge gaps may be needed to improve the coverage in the future.

Effectiveness of introduction of JEV vaccination into routine immunization program in a tribal district of Odisha.

ABSTRACTBackground:A severe outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (JE) and acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) with high case fatality among tribal children was reported from Malkangiri district of Odisha, during September to November 2016 affecting 336 children with 103 deaths. Following the outbreak, a mass vaccination campaign was introduced in Malkangiri district in2017. In 2018, the JE vaccine was introduced into the routine immunization program as per National Immunization Schedule. Our study surveys the JE vaccination coverage among children of Malkangiri and the incidence of JE cases for a period of three years.Methodology:The current study was conducted by establishing prospective and retrospective AES surveillance system and household vaccine coverage surveys in Malkangiri district. In the target population, the vaccination coverage survey was undertaken and also additional immunization coverage data from sub-centers was collected.Results:After 2016 JE outbreak, a mass vaccination campaign was carried out in children up to 15 years of age, where 96% of children were covered in the district in 2017 and only four AES cases were detected. Under routine immunization program, the vaccine coverage for the year 2018 was 68% for JE-1 dose and 37% for JE-2 dose. There were 8 AES cases detected in 2018 out of which four children died. Vaccination coverage for 2019 was 97% for JE-1 dose and 84% for JE-2 dose. The AES cases detected in 2019 was nil.Conclusion:Vaccination against JEV and AES surveillance systems has an important role in prevention and control of AES outbreaks.

An ethnographic approach to understand cultural perspectives of tribes on branding practice for sick children in Odisha, India.

Traditional beliefs on child healthcare at time lead to potentially harmful practices like branding. However, there is a gap in people's perceptions, attitudes and beliefs about branding practice. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to document the cultural motivation, ability and opportunity for branding practice in a tribal district of Odisha, India. Initially, such practices were observed in the tribal community for three months. Then, 18 in-depth interviews were conducted - ten among women having under-five children, and eight among traditional healers. Six focus group discussions were conducted with community health workers as well. The responses were digitally recorded, transcribed and translated and were further used for thematic framework analysis. The primary determinants of branding practice were cultural beliefs compounded with low-health literacy, proximity to conventional care and influence of family and friends. The key driver for branding practices was traditional cultural beliefs on child healthcare decisions and health-seeking behaviours. Opportunities in the health system - availability and quality of health services - frequently drive them to seek healthcare from the system structure and routine health communication improves their ability to make better healthcare decisions. Culture significantly affects the conceptualisation of illness and care-seeking pathways in a society. The indigenous community used to consult local traditional healers for their health concerns. While the government has made efforts to increase community health literacy through various platforms and multiple stakeholders' engagements, the doorstep availability of modern care and health promotion interventions remains critical for meeting the health needs of the indigenous community.

Medical devices associated adverse events under Materiovigilance Programme of India in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Tribal District of Odisha

Background: A materiovigilance program is a system that is used for the identification, collection, and reporting of possible adverse reactions resulting from the use of medical devices. This monitoring program ensures the safety of patients and aids the post-marketing surveillance process. The Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI) was launched on July 6, 2015. Aims and Objectives: The primary objective of the study was to generate evidence based data on the safety of the medical devices used in our institute and to analyze the risk benefit ratio of reported adverse events of medical devices and to communicate the safety information to the stake holders. The secondary objective was to educate and advocate the concept of MvPI and creating a culture of adverse events reporting among health workers. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted after receiving clearance from the Institutional Ethical Committee, Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital (SLN MCH), Koraput. Data about Medical Device-Associated Adverse Events (MDAEs) were collected from MDMC, SLN MCH, Koraput, for the period from October 2019 to February 2022. MDAE reports were collected by a materiovigilance associate during the period from October 2019 to February 2022. Events were reviewed to verify whether or not they were documented in patient’s electronic records and a database of devices was created, which included the events associated with each device. Device-related MDAEs were classified by patient characteristics and the medical devices used. Results: In the 15-month study period, a total of 56 cases of MDAE were reported to MDMC, SLN MCH, Koraput. Of these, 17.9% MDAEs (10 cases) were adverse events related to surgical gloves, 8.9% (five cases) were associated with pulse oximeters, 7.14% of cases (4 cases) were due to glucometer malfunctioning, and 7.1% were related to HIV diagnostic kits such as false positives and false negatives. Adverse events such as skin rashes, irritation on skin, itching, redness of eyes, and gum bleeding in patients with dental braces were reported. A majority of device defects involved inaccuracy in the data reported by the devices (seen in 10.7% of cases), while six cases were due to device malfunctioning. Conclusion: This study shows only the tip of iceberg of the reporting trends of MDME. There is inequality in reporting by different grades of health care workers and from different departments. It highlights the necessity of conducting awareness programs, training and workshops regularly. Device-related safety and reporting of device-related adverse events should be subject of attention and further research.

Routine medical check-up and self-treatment practices among population living in mountainous area of a tribal district of Odisha

Background: Self-treatment is recognized as one of the global public health issues. Geographical distance, constrained financial resources, and lack of awareness are the main barriers for people in remote areas to access health care. Self-treatment may also have risky consequences such as side effects and antibiotic resistance. It is assumed that the rate of self-treatment is high in the unreachable hilly tribal areas because of the geographical factor. Aim and Objective: The primary objective of the present study is to find out the prevalence and reason of self-medication, and the sources of drug information. The secondary objective is to assess the awareness of routine medical check-up among the tribal population of the hilly areas of the Koraput district of Odisha. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted after receiving clearance from the Institutional Ethical Committee, SLN MCH, Koraput. The study was conducted from February 2022 in some hilly villages near Koraput, which is a typical mountainous commune with the terrain divided by many mountains. Simple random sampling was done using computer software for selecting participants (sample size: 200). The participants were contacted and our interviewer visited door-to-door for face-to-face interviews. The research team developed a structured questionnaire to use in the face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire included questions about demographic characteristics, access to medical facilities, frequency of routine medical check-ups in the past 12 months, health information sources, and distance to the nearest health facility. A series of questions regarding self-treatment practices were also asked: Whether they had purchased any medication without prescription in the past 3 months, what the symptoms were, and what kind of medicines they bought, and the reasons they bought the medicines on their own. Results: The study found that prevalence of self-medication was 92 (46%, C.I. 95%). The majority of residents had self-medication when they suffered from common cold and cough (16% of participants), fever (8%), diarrhea (6%), body pain or myalgia (8%), and allergy (2%). The most prevalent groups of drugs used were antipyretics such as paracetamol (36%), antibiotics (30%), antihistamines (14%), and analgesics such as diclofenac and nimesulide (26%). The most common reason for choosing a local practitioner or private pharmacist and health worker was the subjects’ proximity to them. Of the self-medicated population in our study, 62% procured medicines from local practitioners, chemists, or health workers residing in their villages or nearby villages. Conclusion: Rational use of drugs requires that patients receive medications appropriate to their clinical needs, in doses that meet their own individual requirements for an adequate period of time and at the lowest cost to them and their community. Self-medication unfortunately does not follow the standard, scientific, and rational criteria. Due to self-medication quality of medicine, scientific, and rational procurement, rational prescription is always questionable.

Variants of ctxB alleles of Vibrio cholerae O1 caused sequential cholera outbreaks in the tribal areas of Odisha, India.

Cholera localized outbreaks/epidemics accounting for high morbidity and mortality have been reported in different years both from the coastal and tribal districts of Odisha. In the present study, the emergence and spread of two sequential cholera outbreaks reported in July to October 2012 from Rayagada and Kalahandi districts of Odisha was investigated. Environmental water samples from different sources and rectal swabs from diarrhoea patients were analysed for identification, antibiogram profiles and molecular studies using DMAMA-PCR assays. The pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was done on some selected Vibrio cholerae O1 strains isolated from these cholera outbreak areas. Results showed 42% of rectal swabs and 2.3% of water samples collected from both the districts were positive for Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa biotype El Tor carrying both ctxB1 and ctxB7 genotypes. The common resistance profile of V. cholerae O1 strains was ampicillin, nalidixic acid, furazolidone and co-trimoxazole. The PFGE analysis on selected V. cholerae O1 strains of ctxB1 and ctxB7 genotypes showed three pulsotypes with 96% similarity matrix exhibiting the relationship with their respective water sources. Hence, continuous surveillance is highly essential to monitor the antibiogram profile and changing pattern of ctxB genotypes of V. cholerae O1 in this region.

A Comparative study on Yield performance of Finger Millet Varieties under rainfed conditions in South Eastern Ghat Zone of Odisha

A Comparative study on Yield performance of Finger Millet Varieties under rainfed conditions in South Eastern Ghat Zone of Odisha

One Health approach for elimination of human anthrax in a tribal district of Odisha: Study protocol.

BackgroundAnthrax is a major but neglected zoonotic disease of public health concern in India with Odisha contributing a major share to the disease burden. Bacillus anthracis spores can be found naturally in soil and commonly affect both animals and humans around the world. Domestic and wild animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and deer can become infected when they inhale or ingest spores from contaminated soil, plants, or water. Anthrax can be fatal if patients are not treated promptly with antibiotics. This protocol aims to describe the implementation and evaluation of the ‘One Health’ intervention model based on the principles of Theory of Change (ToC) to eliminate human anthrax from a tribal district in Odisha, India.MethodsThis study would test the effectiveness of a complex public health intervention package developed using the ToC framework for the elimination of human anthrax in Koraput district by a comparative analysis of baseline and end-line data. We plan to enroll 2640 adults across 14 geographically divided blocks in Koraput district of Odisha for baseline and end-line surveys. After baseline, we would provide capacity building training to stakeholders from the department of health, veterinary, forest, academic and allied health institutions followed by workshops on sensitization and awareness through IEC (Information Education Communication)/BCC (Behavior Change Communication) activities in the community. We would establish a state-level laboratory facility as a robust system for timely diagnosis and management of human anthrax cases. Surveillance network will be strengthened to track the cases in early stage and risk zoning will be done for focused surveillance in endemic areas. Advocacy with district level administration will be done for maximizing the coverage of livestock vaccination in the entire district. Interdepartmental coordination would be established for the effective implementation of the intervention package.ConclusionThis would be a first study applying One Health concept for the elimination of human anthrax in India. The findings from this study will offer important insights for policy-making and further replication in other endemic regions of the state and country.Trial registrationThe authors confirm that all ongoing and related trials for this intervention are prospectively registered with the Clinical Trials Registry of India [CTRI/2020/05/025325] on 22 May 2020.

Health system preparedness & community participation in Japanese encephalitis/acute encephalitis syndrome (JE/AES) prevention in a tribal district of Odisha, India.

Background & Objectives:Japanese encephalitis/acute encephalitis syndrome (JE/AES) is one of the major zoonotic arbodiseases that has a significant effect on human and animal health. Though many studies have been published on the epidemiology and transmission mechanisms of JE/AES, but there is little evidence on health system preparedness, including community-based engagement. This study was undertaken to explore a multi-stakeholder perspective on health system preparedness for the prevention of JE/AES in a tribal district of Odisha, India.Methods:This study was conducted at Malkangiri district of Odisha. A total of nine focus group discussions (FGDs) among women having under-five children, community volunteers, and community health workers (CHWs), and 20 in-depth-interviews (IDIs) among community leaders, healthcare providers, and programme managers were conducted. The FGDs and IDIs were digitally recorded, transcribed, translated and analysed using content analysis approach.Results:Health system preparedness for the prevention of JE/AES was improved, including effective vector management, implementation of the surveillance system, and vaccination programme. The JE vaccine was introduced under Universal Immunization Programme in Odisha in 2016. Behavioural Change Communication activities were provided with the support of community volunteers on Village Health Nutrition and Sanitation Day (VHNSD) under Gaon Kalyan Samiti (GKS) platforms. The CHWs were actively involved in vector management and raising sanitation and hygiene awareness.Interpretation & conclusions:Community participation and coordination between different stakeholders have a significant impact on the successful implementation of the programme. It was suggested that there was a need for a sustainability approach to active participation, orientation and capacity building training among CHWs and community volunteers to successfully implement the programme.

Periods, Perceptions and Practice- A Study of Menstrual Awareness among Adolescent Girls in a Tribal District of Odisha, India

Menstruation is a normal biological phenomenon. Still it is associated with misperceptions, malpractices
 and challenges especially among female adolescents of low socioeconomic settings. The present study was
 conducted to investigate the knowledge about menstruation, determinants of menstrual hygiene management
 and the consequences of menstruation on college absenteeism in a tribal dominated backward district of
 Odisha, India. A college based cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was undertaken among randomly
 selected 740 female students who were attending 12th grade and undergraduate courses. About 64 % of
 girls had inappropriate knowledge about menstruation and MHM. Only 38 % girls used disposable sanitary
 napkins during menstruation. Almost 59 % of the respondents reported remaining absent from college during
 periods. High educational status of mother was found to be strong predictor of appropriate knowledge about
 menstruation among the adolescents. Economic constraint was found to be the major factor for not using
 disposable sanitary napkins which in turn is one of the major causes of college absenteeism. Girls also
 reported inability to change menstrual absorbents in college due to absence of proper disposal system.

Decentralised Planning for Tribal Development and Role of Panchayats: A Study of Two Districts of Odisha

Planning for promoting socio-economic development of marginalised people has emerged as a key function of Panchayats in India. This scenario is also found in the case of the scheduled areas of Odisha. On the basis of data collected from 300 households in two tribal districts of Odisha, this study argues that institutional arrangement and functioning of Panchayats have paved the way for formulation of decentralised development plans in these areas. The Panchayats have been playing a key role in the ways of formulating decentralised development plans and fostering the participation of tribal people in planning process. Many important issues related to socio-economic development of tribal people have been discussed in the meetings involving planning. Despite this, the goals of promoting socio-economic development of tribal people through formulating decentralised development plans have not achieved the desired results. Inadequate infrastructure and poor data management system at the Panchayat level and weak coordination among the various tiers have created hurdles in the path of formulation of decentralised development plans in the districts. It is on this basis, that this article suggests decentralised planning as a systemic process in the scheduled areas under the guidance of the Panchayats.

Incidence of Bacterial Enteropathogens among Diarrhea Patients from Tribal Areas of Odisha.

Infectious diarrheal diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing and underdeveloped countries. The present study documented the etiology of bacterial enteropathogens in three tribal districts of Odisha from July 2010 to September 2013. A total of 1427 rectal swabs were collected and bacteriologically analyzed by following standard procedure. Among the 930 (65.2%) culture positive samples, Escherichia coli (E. coli) constituted 636 (44.6%); Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) O1, 146 (10.2%); Salmonella species (spp.), 10 (0.7%); Shigella spp., 79 (5.5%); and Aeromonas spp., 59 (4.1%). Of the 729 environmental water samples taken from river, open well, Nala (a small stream), and Chua (a shallow pit on a river bed), 14 (1.9%) contained non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae and 13 (1.8%) had V. cholerae O1 strains. An analysis of the demographics showed that people in the 14 to 40-year age group were highly susceptible to diarrhea caused by V. cholerae which occurred mainly during the rainy and post-rainy seasons. All enteropathogens were multidrug-resistant and found throughout the study period. The V. cholerae strains isolated were El Tor variants carrying the classical, El Tor, and Haitian cholera toxin subunit B (ctxB) genes. The classical ctxB was the dominant allele, and the prevalence of the Haitian ctxB allele increased during the test period. These findings indicate that active surveillance is needed to monitor the changing antibiotic resistance patterns of V. cholerae serogroups and biotypes present in this region.

The Prospects of Irrigation Technology in the Tribal Districts of Odisha

0515101320Odisha has always been competitive when it comes to mining and industrial activities, thanks to its abundant mineral content. Little does anyone know that agriculture is also an equally important sector which contributes around 19% to the Gross State Domestic product (GSDP). According to the Odisha Economic Survey 2018-19[1]GSDP grew at a rate of 8.4% as compared to 7.4% in the previous year. The mining, manufacturing and services sector have contributed significantly to the GSDP by about 10.8%, 18.5% and 41.6% respectively.Staterose up from 26th rank in 1996-97 to 16th in 2016-17. This also tells us about the growing development process in the State which is occurring along the lines of Prof. Boeke’s Dual economy model where the agriculture as well the manufacturing sector co-exist in an economy.But disappointinglythe pace of agricultural growthis gradually declining as compared to the other sectors. The major fallacies in the growth of the primary sector in the last few years are deficit rainfall, lack of proper infrastructure, low financial inclusion and low literacy level of farmers, sharecroppers and labourers.Undoubtedly theseaberrations can adversely impact farmer’s economic and social wellbeing. According to the Odisha Economic Survey 2018-19 the monthly farm household income in 2012-13 was INR 4976 but when compared to India’s average monthly farm household income of INR 6426, it seems inadequate. About 10.8 million people which is approximately 61.8% of the total workforce are involved in agricultural activities. The entirety of this agricultural workforce is responsible in contributing about 18-19% to the GSDP which seems a little disproportionate. In this process of developmentthe most affected communities are the backward tribes who do not have much of a say in the economy. This paper aims to find out the dependence between the productivity of crops on rainfall and how technology such as drip and sprinkler irrigation system can further help in alleviating this inconsistency in the tribal districts of Odisha.

Tribal Odisha Eye Disease Study Report # 6. Opportunistic screening of vitamin A deficiency through School Sight Program in tribal Odisha (India).

Purpose:To explore the possibility of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) detection through School Sight Program (SSP) in a tribal district of Odisha, India.Methods:In a cross-sectional observational study, we tracked school children with ocular signs/symptoms of VAD to their villages. The ophthalmologist examined their under-5 siblings and other under-5 children in the village. Information pertaining to family belief and practices of food, water, sanitation, and the socioeconomic status of the family were collected.Results:The ocular features of VAD were detected in 207 of 4801 (4.3%) examined children. This included 70 children (mean age 11 ± 2.6 years) detected in the school, 22 siblings (mean age 3.2 ± 1.2 years) of these children detected at their home, and 115 children (mean age 3 ± 1.5 years) detected in their habitat. The average family size was 5.8 ± 2.02 and the birth order of the child with VAD was 2.3 ± 1.25. Most parents were farmer, living in asbestos-roofed house, depended on public underground water, and practiced open-air defecation. The distribution of VAD in 207 children was conjunctival xerosis (X1A = 207; 100% of VAD and 4.3% of all children), Bitot's spot (X1B = 169; 81.6% of VAD and 3.5% of all children), corneal scar (XS = 3; 1.4% of VAD and 0.06% of all children), and night blindness (XN = 35; 16.9% of VAD and 0.72% of all children).Conclusion:An opportunistic screening for detection of VAD through a SSP could be cost-effective and complement the existing strategy.

Awareness of Elementary School Teachers in Tribal Areas of Odisha, India about RTE Act, 2009

RTE Act, 2009 of Government of India has been put into implementation with effect from 1st April, 2010. It came into force in Odisha, one of the states of India from 27th September, 2010. The Govt. of Odisha has taken various earnest steps towards implementation of RTE Act 2009. There are 62 tribes in Odisha with 22.21 % of the total population of the State (Sahu, 2014). The rate of literacy among the Scheduled Tribes is 52.24% against the overall literacy rate of 72.87% of the State as per 2011 census. In tribal areas, the development with respect to economic, political and educational is lagging as compared to rest of the country. There is dearth of studies particularly, related to awareness of teachers about RTE Act in tribal areas of Odisha. Hence, the investigator was keen to undertake a study about the extent of awareness of elementary school teachers about RTE Act. survey method is used for the present study. Population of the present study is all the elementary schools of tribal areas of Odisha. Target population is restricted to all the elementary schools of four tribal districts of Odisha. Cluster sampling method was used. Six blocks were selected from these four districts- two blocks from Nabarangpur, two blocks from Koraput, one block each from Kalahandi and Mayurbhanj purposively. These blocks come under scheduled area. Ten elementary schools were selected randomly from each district. All the available teachers were selected from these schools. There were a total of 127 teachers. An awareness test for teachers was developed and used by the investigator. It was found that elementary school teachers in tribal areas of Odisha are aware about Right to Education Act. However, no significant difference was found in awareness about RTE Act among teachers on the bases of their gender, educational and professional qualification, teaching experience, mother and age. Keywords: Awareness, Elementary school teachers, tribal areas of Odisha, RTE Act, 2009. DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-1-02