‘Unfinished Burden of Diseases’ Among the Kuda (Mirdha) Tribe of Rural Western Odisha

AbstractThe most marginalized sections of society are the tribal population living in geographically remote, isolated hilly and forested areas far away from the mainstream. Their health status is still a cause for grave concern because of their isolation, remoteness, and shortage of medical facilities, which lack basic resources. The tribal population suffers not only from the risk of chronic conditions but is also least able to cope with the consequences, as the health infrastructure and the services available in the areas where they live lack both availability and quality. A state like Odisha has the unique distinction of having 62 different tribal communities that have been suffering from the problems of health and nutrition since time immemorial. The food supply in these areas is itself the main cause of malnutrition. Various communicable as well as non-communicable diseases are also on the rise, especially in rural areas. The prevalence rate of malaria is quite high among the sample population. One of the most critical concerns is the gap in the doctor-patient ratio. Further, traditional beliefs and practices, along with their unique cultural patterns, in turn, influence the health-seeking behavior of the community. Infectious diseases remain an unfinished agenda, while chronic non-communicable diseases and disability are rising at an alarming rate. The problems of the rural healthcare system and social determinants of health need to be addressed at both the macro (national and state) and micro (district and regional) levels to improve the prevailing situation and to reduce overall health inequalities.