Traditional healers and priests hold strong positions in the Korku tribes. In times of emergency, tribals follow their first impulse to rush their kith and kin to the traditional healer in case of illness. It is practically not possible to change their beliefs and value systems from traditional systems to modern health care.

Caritas India through its Sabal programme works in the Melghat region to address chronic hunger and malnutrition among the Korku tribal community. Realising the situation, Sabal programme made an effort to transform traditional healers and priests into Aarogya Mitras to fight against severe chronic malnutrition in the region. The response was encouraging as more people from Korku tribes are being referred to the Government health care centres.

Recently, Caritas India in partnership with the Amravati District Administration, Department of Women & Child Development (ICDS), and Health Department, successfully organized a comprehensive two-day capacity building training program for Korku tribal healers and priests, locally known as Padiyaars and Bhumkas. The training took place on June 27th and 28th, 2023, in Paratwada, Amravati. Its purpose was to enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies to effectively address the healthcare needs of the Korku tribal community and promote better health outcomes.

Recognizing the deep trust placed by the Korku tribal community in their traditional healers and priests, Caritas India Sabal Program in collaboration with its partner organizations—Dayasagar Social Centre (DSC), Jeevan Vikas Sansthan (JVS), and Matruschaya Social Centre (MSC) took the initiative to leverage the influence of these key figures within the community to bridge the gap between traditional healing practices and modern healthcare services.

The program commenced with an inaugural ceremony attended by Chief Guest Dr. Eknathrao Tatte, Principal BSP College and Fr. (Dr.) Jolly Puthenpura, AED Caritas India. Fr. Jose Kunnapally, Director JVS, welcomed the participants and expressed appreciation for their involvement in this initiative. Sr. Hira Parkhe, Directress MSC, provided context, while Sr. Amritha George, Directress DSC, delivered the inaugural address.

The SABAL program has made significant strides in improving the health conditions of the Korku tribal community. By engaging 78 tribal healers and priests as Aarogya Mitras (Health Friends) and conducting 512 collaborative visits with grassroots institutional workers such as ASHA, Anganwadi Workers, and Auxiliary Nurse-Midwives, Caritas India and its partner organizations have successfully referred 845 patients with various ailments to health centers for treatment. Moreover, they have encouraged 1120 families to seek medical support, thereby reducing infant and maternal mortality rates.

The recently concluded capacity-building training program focused on four key objectives: conducting community health surveys, administering basic medical care, referring patients to health centres, and educating the community.

The training also covered additional areas crucial to community health, including nutrition education, growth monitoring, promotion of community-based interventions, health education for women during pregnancy and lactation, and linking communities with government services and benefits.

Qualified doctors from the Health Department conducted sessions on various topics such as Women & Child Health, Nutrition, Seasonal Infections and Diseases, and counselling skills development. Mr. Robin George, Programme Lead (Sabal), emphasized the importance of teaching the community to grow and consume nutritious food, particularly addressing the issue of malnutrition.

The program concluded with Dr. Kailash Ghodke, Deputy CEO of the WCD Department, acknowledging the participants’ efforts in reducing malnutrition in the Melghat region. He honoured the traditional healers and priests and announced incentives for the referrals of malnutrition and anaemic cases to health centre. Dr. Mukund Deshmukh, Asst. Programme Lead (Sabal) delivered the vote of thanks.

Caritas India and its partner organizations are confident that the capacity-building training for the Aarogya Mitras will strengthen their role as effective intermediaries between traditional healing practices and modern healthcare services. This collaborative effort aims to further improve health outcomes and reduce the prevalence of malnutrition and anaemia among children and women within the Korku tribal community.