The claim of officials may be that the government’s interventions and handsome outlay have helped better tribal health in Attapady, but the fact is health-care facilities even now remains abysmally inaccessible to the native community.
Four children have died in the last four months owing to anaemia and malnutrition while the condition of 34 others remains extremely critical.
On the eve of Health Minister K.K. Shylaja’s visit to Attappady to take stock of the situation, tribal activists confirm that fund crunch had almost stalled the haemoglobin count examination being conducted among tribal schoolchildren once every week for the last three years. Supply of iron tablets through schools has stopped because of lack of resources and health workers. In spite of strong recommendation from the Health Secretary, upgrade of the Primary Health Centre at Puthur as a full-fledged hospital still remains on paper. The community kitchen initiative ensuring one nutritious meal a day to pregnant and lactating women also remains badly affected owing to fund constraints.
“We have been demanding appointment of a full-time IAS officer to coordinate among the 24 governmental departments which implement tribal welfare activities in their own ways. Only a coordinated intervention can help improve the situation here,’’ said tribal activist K.A. Ramu.
The infant deaths reported during the last four months have added to the chorus for improving facilities at Government Tribal Hospital at Kottathara. Machines installed at the hospital for scanning and to check hearing impairment are gathering dust owing to lack of specialised doctors and trained technicians. A state-of-the-art eye surgery facility also remains unused because of lack of specialist.
Pregnant tribal women are now being forced to undergo scanning at private establishments in the vicinity by paying huge fee.
The hospital is now facing deficiency in working capital because of the pending arrears from the SC/ST Development Department, which crossed Rs.20 lakh. The amount was spent on hiring ambulances to ensure quick medical treatment for tribal patients.
“Now tribals are forced to travel to Thrissur and Coimbatore medical college hospitals and the Palakkad district hospital to get expert treatment. Most often, the Kottathara hospital functions as a referral centre because of lack of facilities,” said tribal leader S. Palanichamy.
