Odisha is set to come up with the “only” observatory in India that will establish a repository on the health of the tribal population in the state.
In this regard, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was inked between the ST and SC Development Department and the RMRC, a regional centre of the Indian Council of Medical Research.
The Tribal Health Observatory (TriHOb) is the “first in India” and is designed to be an effective, evidence-based and policy-oriented centre.
It will perform ongoing and systematic observation on disease burden, health-seeking behaviour and healthcare delivery system pertaining to tribal health in the state.
A public health observatory is an organisation or program that monitors and reports on the public health of a particular topic or region in order to inform health policy.
During the MoU’s signing event, ‘Mo School’ Abhiyan chairperson Sushmita Bagchi also launched the first of its kind Odisha Tribal Family Health Survey among the indigenous communities, where high quality demographic and health data will be made available for informed policymaking.
The officials stated that the survey will lay the foundation for further longitudinal cohort studies and policy-oriented research.
The ‘Mo School’ (My School) initiative plans to create a platform for individuals to connect, collaborate and contribute to revamping government and government-aided schools in the state, they added.
The compendium is the first of its kind comprising all research on sickle cell anaemia in India and will be helpful for all researchers, policymakers and healthcare experts to make any progress in the field.