Online published on 6 March, 2013.
Various programmes are implemented for the socio-economic development of the rural and tribal people of Odisha. However, the state is still reeling under high infant mortality. The Infant Mortality Rate in Odisha was at 97 per 1,000 births as per the National Family Health Survey 1999, which has come down to 70 per 1000 live births. About 40% of all children in Odisha, under three years of age are underweight. Odisha has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in India. The health scenario in tribal Odisha presents a kaleidoscopic mosaic of various communicable and non communicable diseases in consonance with socio-economic developments in the state. The wide spread poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, absence of safe drinking water and sanitary conditions, poor maternal and child health services, ineffective coverage of national health and nutritional services, and so on are the major contributing factors for dismal health in tribal communities of Odisha.
