India's 'first' tribal health observatory to come up in Odisha

Odisha is set to come up with India's "only" observatory that will establish a repository on the health of the tribal population in the state, officials said on Wednesday.

A memorandum of understanding was inked in this regard between the ST and SC Development Department and the RMRC, a regional centre of the Indian Council of Medical Research, they said.

The Tribal Health Observatory (TriHOb) is the "first in the country", and designed to be an effective, evidence-based and a policy-oriented centre, the Information Department said in a release.

It will perform systematic and ongoing observation on disease burden, health-seeking behaviour and healthcare delivery system pertaining to tribal health in the state.

During the event where the MoU was signed, 'Mo School' Abhiyan chairperson Sushmita Bagchi also launched a tribal family health survey among the indigenous communities.

The survey will lay the foundation for further longitudinal cohort studies and policy-oriented research, the officials said.

The 'Mo School' (My School) initiative aims to create a platform for people to connect, collaborate and contribute to revamping government and government-aided schools in Odisha, they added.