The Hindu : Front Page : Centre approves plan to study Toto tribe in north Bengal

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Centre approves plan to study Toto tribe in north Bengal

Raktima Bose

It is on the brink of extinction

KOLKATA: The Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology has approved a Rs. 30 lakh proposal of the city-based Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute (NSCBCRI) to conduct a study on the health patterns and health management of the Toto tribal people in north Bengal.

There are 1366 members left in the Toto tribe – one of the oldest Indo-Bhutanese tribes – living at Totopara, 100 km. from the district town in the Jalpaiguri district in the State. Endogamous in nature, the members of the tribe suffer from various inherent genetic disorders as a result of children born out of wedlock between close relatives and this social trait in the tribe is fast pushing it to the brink of extinction.

Recently, blood tests carried out on 385 unmarried Toto males and females by the NSCBCRI revealed that 14 per cent of them were carriers of the thalassemia virus.

More carriers

“There could actually be more carriers of the virus among the rest of the population since the test was conducted only among unmarried Totos,” Ashis Mukhopadhyay, director of the Institute, told The Hindu, here.

Dr. Mukhopadhyay said that given the high presence of thalassemia virus among the members in the tribe, inbreeding increases the chances of children, too, carrying the deadly virus. As per customs, any Toto member marrying outside the tribe is ostracised. That makes matters more complicated.

In addition to this, recent finding by the Indian Anthropological Survey says that the average lifespan of the Toto tribal people is 35 years.

Satellite centre

As part of the proposal by the Institute, a satellite centre will be opened shortly at Totopara to spread awareness among the tribals about the prevalence of the virus, advise them not to marry immediate relatives and have a blood test done pre-marriage. Treatment of the thalissemiac patients will be an integral part of the programme.

“The Totos have promised to co-operate with the doctors which is definitely a positive sign,” Dr. Mukhopadhyay said.

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