Tribals of Satyamangalam welcome new healthcare centres

The situation has changed since Caritas India supported primary health care services.

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Erode:  Thousands of tribal people in Sathyamangalam in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district have benefitted from the new healthcare centres supported by Caritas India.

Afew months back thepeople of Makkampalayamand Arihiyam villages of Kuttampalayam and Kuthyalatur panchayats of Sathyamangalam had to run a minimum of 20 kilometres to Kambur town hospital to get medical help. Even that was not available during rainy season when these villages turn into an island as the rivers swell up and cuts it off totally from other villages and towns.

The situation has changed since Caritas India supported primary health care services were launched in these villages to provide immediate support for basic health facilities providing medical help for emergency and ordinary sickness, empowering the tribal women, children an old people to build their immune system.

Around 1856 people have already benefited from the Makkampalayam and Arihiyam villages health centres within 6 months and impacted 6500 people indirectly.

Inhabited by Urali and Arunthaththiyars tribals, the people are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Illiteracy, poor transport, constant disturbance from the forest animals, poor health and lack of medical facility and ignorance and indifference of people about various aspects of life etc. are the major concern.

Now 20-30 patients visit these healthcare centres every day. Equipped with the basic medical care treatment, the centre treats patients of tuberculosis, anaemia, fever, cuts and wounds etc. Patients are further referred to other hospitals for serious health problems.

“We are happy with health centres and the training and awareness programs conducted time to time on health issues for the villagers. We are benefiting maximum from these health centres and have great relief in our daily life,” shared a beneficiary.

Apart from the health centre, Caritas is organising several awareness programs and trainings on issues like drug addiction, tuberculosis, girl child marriages, medical camps etc.

Source: Caritas India