The adivasi regions generally have limited access to mainstream healthcare. Few qualified doctors are willing to be stationed in these remote regions. Before government intervention, prevalent diseases were treated by a rich culture and knowledge of traditional health care. Vanantharam, an institution promoted by LAYA, legitimizes their practice of herbal based medicine to complement prevailing mainstream health care systems by:
- Promoting Herbal Based Health Care at local level
- Promoting standardisation of herbal based medicines
- Facilitating 'Herbal Gardens'
- Developing medicinal plant nurseries
- Training young adivasi men and women in herbal medicine preparation for local practice
- Refresher Training Programmes for Community Health Practitioners (CHPs)
- Up-grading skills of community 'Traditional Health Practitioners'
- Undertaking special training programmes for NGO personnel and students
- Accompanying Traditional Health Practitioners Networks
- Responding to specific health care needs of adivasi women
- Conducting herbal exhibitions for widespread awareness
- Managing a licensed pharmacy for marketing of medicines
| Process/Activity | Access coverage | Outreach |
|---|---|---|
| 148 centers for traditional practitioners | 175 villages | 13518 individuals |
| Special health camps | 42 villages | 1028 individuals |
| Regular health centers in 4 locations | 4 locations | 987 individuals |
| Special prevention health camps for Malaria and Dengue | 18 tribal welfare hostels and 6 villages | 3788 students and 200 families |
| Special prevention health camps on COVID-19 | 3 locations | 5000 individuals |
| Dental health camps | 2 tribal welfare hostels and 4 villages |
215 students and 35 individuals |
