Abhay Bang Committee

About:

• Background:
  • In 2013, an Expert Committee on Tribal Health was constituted jointly by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) under the Chairmanship of Dr. Abhay Bang.
    
    
  • It has recently presented its report to the Government of India.
    
    
  • It is the first ever such review of tribal health in India.
    
    
  
  
  
• Findings:
  • Tribals in India suffer from high incidence of malnutrition, bad maternal health and high incidence of communicable diseases
    
    
  • Non communicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes) are also fast rising in Tribals.
    
    
  • They are also highly addicted to alcohol (50% men) and tobacco (72% men).
    
    
  
  
  
• Recommendations:
  • Allocate 5% per capita of GDP on tribal health; 9.3% of state budget on tribal health should reach the secondary as well as tertiary health care to tribals.
    
    
  • Create a Tribal Health Index and estimate it annually.
    
    
  • Create a special cadre of 1,000 tribal health officers (including non-doctors) across 809 tribal majority blocks in 150 districts.
    
    
  • Establish a ‘Tribal Health Council and Directorate of Tribal Health’.