ST & SC dept inks pact with RMRC for establishing a Tribal Health Observatory

Bhubaneswar: An MoU was signed between ST & SC Development Department & Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), ICMR on Wednesday for establishing a “Tribal Health Observatory (TriHOb)” in Odisha, a first in the country for ensuring equity in tribal health in Odisha.

 This MoU was signed between Ranjana Chopra, Principal Secretary, ST & SC Development Dept and Dr. Sanghamita Pati, Director RMRC, ICMR, in the august presence of Sushmita Bagchi, Chairperson, Mo School Abhiyan the Chief Guest of the occasion.

TriHOb will establish a repository on health of tribal population of Odisha. It is designed to be effective and evidence based, policy oriented and virtually established centre, performing systematic and ongoing observation on disease burden, health seeking behaviour and healthcare delivery system pertaining to tribal health in Odisha.

Sushmita Bagchi also launched the ‘Odisha Tribal Family Health Survey’ which would be the first of its kind and comprehensive survey among tribal communities in India, where high quality demographic and health data will be made available for informed policy making. This study will lay the foundation for further longitudinal cohort studies and implementation / policy oriented research

his study would provide an idea about the reach of the health programmes and policy interventions and suggest course correction wherever required.

Compendium on Evidence  Based Researches on Sickle Cell Anaemia in India and a Report on Odisha Tribal Serosurvey conducted by the ST & SC Department and RMRC was also released on the occasion. The compendium is first of its kind having all the researches in the field of sickle cell in India and this will be useful for all researches, policy makers and health care experts to make any progress in the sickle cell field.

This was followed by a consultative deliberation with presentations by the panelists followed by Open house discussion and brain storming sessions. The State Level Consultative Workshop will serve as a valuable resource for the stakeholders and increased awareness on Sickle cell disease, build partnership and catalyse the implementation process.

Sushmita Bagchi, Chairperson, Mo School Abhiyan, Ranjana Chopra, Principal Secretary, ST & SC Dev. Dept., Dr. Sanghamitra Pati, Director, RMRC, ICMR, Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, Director (ST) cum CEO OTDS and Dr. A, B, Ota, Director cum Spl. Secretary, SCSTRI and Biswaranjan Sasmal, Spl. Secretary, Education, ST & SC Dev. Dept. graced the occasion.

The Meeting was attended by Director, Health & Family Welfare, Prof. and Head, Dept. of Clinical Haematology, Joint Director Education – I, Asst. Secretary, OMTES, Deputy Secretary cum Dy Director (TSP), Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF, State Programme Coordinator, UNFPA, Sr. Consultant, SHMC  and other Officers of the Department.