The State government is planning several new initiatives in Attappady to improve the health of women and children and ensure that the infant mortality rate in tribal settlements does not go up.
Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Tribes K. Radhakrishnan said in the Assembly on Wednesday that arrangements had been made by involving health, ASHA and anganwadi workers for taking special care of 187 pregnant tribal women and 16 pregnant women with sickle cell anaemia who are considered to be at high risk. Their health will be monitored closely to ensure that no more infant deaths occurred. He was replying to a submission by Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan.
Mr. Radhakrishnan said that following the deaths of infants in Attappady, several meetings with all stakeholders had been held there since November last year. Coordinated activities of various departments were needed to improve the lot of the tribes in Attappady. Efforts were on to conduct a micro-level planning study, looking closely at each household in Attappady, to find solutions for the problems in the colonies.
Incidences of sickle cell anaemia were on the wane in Attappady, where, presently, there are 156 persons with the disease. Special care has to be taken to make the tribes aware that women with sickle cell anaemia should not become pregnant. There was no cure for this rare inherited blood cell disease and one can only focus on the health of the affected, said Mr. Radhakrishnan.
He said that even after spending crores year after year on development initiatives and community kitchen, why the malaise of malnutrition persisted in Attappady was something worth pondering. Consumption of illicit liquor was quite high there, and the police, Excise and Forest departments had been directed to take joint action to tackle this issue.
The government was now planning to restart continuing literacy drives in Attappady with the help of the State Literacy Mission. New tribal promoters were being appointed, from amongst the educated tribes, so that they can create awareness about the importance of health care and education and instill the need for self-sufficiency in the community, said Mr. Radhakrishnan.
