Today, On 21st February, The Supreme Court sought the Centre’s response to a petition calling for improved healthcare for the tribal population. The plea highlights disparities in medical access and urges government intervention. Advocates argue that targeted policies are needed to address critical health challenges in tribal communities. The court’s decision could pave the way for better healthcare initiatives for marginalized groups.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today requested the Centre and other relevant authorities to respond to a petition aimed at enhancing the health of the tribal population in India.
A bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih agreed to hear the case and issued notices to the Centre and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes for their responses.
The petition, filed by Dr. Ashish Satav, president of the NGO MAHAN Trust, is scheduled for a hearing in four weeks.
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The petition, submitted through Advocate Ranu Purohit, notes that the NGO provides free medical care and health services to tribal communities in the Melghat region of Maharashtra. It states that the Trust has thoroughly investigated the health issues faced by these communities and developed a specific set of solutions to address them.
The plea calls for the implementation of various measures, including home-based child care, community management of severe malnutrition, a mortality control program for economically productive individuals, and public-private partnerships in the health sector.
The petition states,
“Many of these measures were successfully implemented in Maharashtra due to the intervention of the Bombay High Court, which issued directions regarding tribal welfare schemes in multiple PILs and writ petitions,”
From 2015 to 2023, the petition claims that various meetings and discussions were held between the Trust and officials from the respondent authorities to improve the health status of tribal communities on a national level.
The petitioners allege that despite submitting representations recommending these measures, no significant progress has been made.
Seeking judicial directions, the petitioners urge the authorities to consider and implement their recommendations for improving the health of the tribal population nationwide. The petition emphasizes that the recommendations proposed by Satav have been successfully implemented in Melghat and could be applied across the country for the welfare of all tribal communities.
The plea states,
“The petitioners have repeatedly approached various government authorities regarding the implementation of these recommendations, but to no avail,”
It also highlights the non-utilization of funds designated for tribal development and alleges that a lack of coordination among government agencies has led to arbitrary and unequal distribution of benefits, violating the right to equality and the right to a dignified life.
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