FIRST-MILE: a Hub-and-Spoke Community Health Program for the tribal communities in the BRT tiger reserve in Chamarajanagar DistrictDuration of project
(1st July 2023 – 30th June 2024)

Over the last several decades, our research has demonstrated the increase of non-communicable diseases especially Diabetes Mellitus among tribal communities. It was earlier assumed that tribal communities may have lesser incidence of NCDs such as Diabetes, Hypertension, cancer, and mental health problems due to relatively healthier environments and food. However, research over the last decades in multiple tribal areas in the country by ICMR as well as several other research organisations have shown the increasing incidence of NCDs, particularly Diabetes, Hypertension and stroke.        

At the same time, the limited availability of specialist/secondary/tertiary care services in remote rural areas and in relatively poor HDI districts such as Chamarajanagar have increased the challenges related to mental health problems as well as cancer. Cancer, stroke and various NCDs are often detected very late among tribal communities and these often require expensive healthcare in distant hospitals in Bangalore/urban centres and they often hesitate or neglect these resulting in increased morbidity and mortality due to NCDs among tribal communities.

To establish a collaborative partnership with Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra and the local community-based organisations of the Soliga and other tribal communities in Chamarajanagar district in order to:

  • Create a community-based early detection and screening centre for NCDs among tribal communities of Chamarajanagar district
  • Design and implement an outreach programme to improve referral and care for NCDs among tribal communities
  • Build a long-term model of care for NCDs that can be scaled up to other tribal populations in partnership with local NGOs & CBOs.

17 remote hamlets with Soliga people within the BRT tiger reserve

Divided into 3 clusters with a total population of around 3,000.

Cluster A 

  1. Keredimba (179)
  2. Gombegalu (98)
  3. Nellikuduru (189)
  4. Kadakalkindi (58)
  5. Kanneri colony (418)
  6. Boothani podu (150)

 

Cluster B 

  1. Bedaguli (218)
  2. Marigudi (198)
  3. Monakai podu (62)
  4. Kadagere (116)
  5. Bisilagere (55)
  6. Ramayna podu (42)

 

Cluster C

  1. Purani podu (416)
  2. Karalakatte(207)
  3. Era katte(195)
  4. Mola Katte(149)
  5. Eraiahna katte(50)

Mr. Praveen Rao, Project Lead
Dr. Tanya Seshadri, Technical Advisor
Mr.Puneeth, Project Coordinator
Ms. Mahadevamma, Tribal Community Coordinator
Ms. Priyanka, Lab Technician
Ms.Pavitra, GNM Nurse,
Mr. Dhanraj, Data Entry Operator
Ms. Soundharya, Community Health Worker
Mr. Mahadev, Community Health Worker
Ms.Manjushree, Community Health Worker
Mr. Jadeswamy, Community Health Worker
Ms. Madevi, Community Health Worker
Mr. Raghavendra, Community Health Worker