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The efforts made by Chhattisgarh's health department in creating awareness among primitive tribal community 'Birhor'-a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the state's Jashpur district, is now bearing fruitful results as the people belonging to this community are now opting institutional deliveries and other healthcare facilities being provided by the government.
Birhor, a very backward tribe, initially avoided institutional deliveries, vaccination, medicines and other healthcare facilities; instead, they believe in traditional healing methods, said Jashpur's Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr G S Jatra. "Our health department worked hard by conducting medical camps in villages of Birhor tribes wherein each individual was explained and informed about the benefits of institutional deliveries, medicines, government and other. As a result of constant efforts, Birhor people are now coming to get vaccinated, undergoing ENT checkups, opting institutional deliveries and visiting hospitals for all types of health tests," said the CMHO. Initially, they were very scared, particularly about injections, but the situation gradually changed and now they have developed trust in doctors, said the CMHO. According to the district administration, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has given clear instructions that the Birhor tribe should receive health benefits. As per the Chief Minister's vision, these people are receiving the necessary facilities. The Birhor tribe resides in the Kunwari and Bagicha blocks of Jashpur district. According to the 2011 census, the Birhor tribe lives in 10 villages across 5 development blocks in the district, with 97 families. As per their tradition, women of the Birhor tribe give birth to their child in small huts called 'Kudiya' or 'Kurma', with the help of a traditional attendant called 'Kuserdai' or 'Suinadai'. On the seventh day of the delivery, the mother-child duo are given a bath and exposed to the sun. On the same day, the hut is also dismantled. Notably, this was the traditional practice in the past, but due to the continuous effort of healthcare workers, Mitanin Didis, Anganwadi workers, and helpers, significant improvements have been marked. Today, Birhor women go to health centres for delivery. Not only that, but a tribe that once fled to the forests when seeing doctors and nurses now visits hospitals for immunizations, polio drops, COVID-19 vaccines, and medications for colds and fever. After massive efforts, the government established a settlement for the Birhor community in Beharakhar village and named it as Shankar Nagar. It's worth mentioning that the Birhor people are referred to as adopted children of the President of India. "As many as 24 families of the Birhor tribe residing at the village Beharakhar and I have been serving them for the last 22 years. The state government wants to link them with the mainstream of development. Earlier, when the team visited their settlements to undertake vaccination campaigns, these people used to hide. With constant efforts, the situation changed significantly, and now they are availing the healthcare facilities in hospitals," said Kunkuri ANM Prabha Ekka. Now, the situation significantly changed, and as soon as women get pregnant, they inform Mitanin about it and also visit the hospital for checkups as well as vaccination, she added. Extending gratitude to the Chhattisgarh Government, Anita, a woman belonging to the Birhor community, informed that their tribe is now availing the benefit of healthcare facilities being offered at health centres. (ANI)
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