Sukrutham Charitable Trust

Away from the mainstream,in the outskirts of Kerala,The God's Own Country, there live about 4 lakhs people whom we called as tribals or aborigines. Most of the tribal people of Kerala live in the forests and mountains of western ghats, bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.Wayanad has the highest number of tribals .

They were the original inhabitants of Wayanad region. But once the British era opened roads to this region and commercial plantations began to sprout, there occurred a migration of settlers to this region. This enhanced tremendous displacement of the tribals of the area. The tribes lost their land and dwindled in numbers and now they constitute only 20 percent of the total population of the district.

The native Adivasis mainly consist of various sects like Paniyas, Kurumas, Adiyars, Kurichyas, Ooralis, Kattunaikkans etc.

Many tribal people die of malnutrition, ignorance and superstitious beliefs. Accessibility to proper health facilities is very rare. In Wayanad, there are many affected by cancer and most of them, abandoned by their dear ones. The Adiya and Paniya tribe in Wayanad are very poor and victims of these kinds of sicknesses. Though there are primary health centers, its services are very limited and not easily reachable. Advanced checkups and treatments are not available and affordable to the majority of the tribal people. Health education and proper sanitary amenities are far from them.

The prevalence of communicable diseases, malnutrition and anaemia is considerably high, as is the practice of giving birth at home. According to recent figures,

Tribal women in Wayanad constitute 85.1 percent of the total number of ‘home deliveries’ recorded.

The prevalence of anaemia among mothers and pregnant women is very alarming.

In many cases, the haemoglobin count is below four.

Regular medical clinics or camps, special assistance to diagnose and advance treatments in cities can make their life better.

Sukrutham Charitable Trust

Sunday, August 25, 2013

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