Health inequity is built into the system. Odisha's distribution of ICU beds across districts is a good way to study it, showing how districts with a majority of tribal population are ignored. Read on.
Khorda has around 5% of Odisha's population but its ICU bed share is 42.4%. Around 1433 out of total 3377 ICU beds in the state are present here. The rest of population, 95%, shares the 57.6% of bed share.
Khorda is already ranked higher than other districts when it comes to health outcomes and Human Development Index, which means since years, health of Khorda's population has been paid attention to.
According to NHFS data, the worst districts health-wise are the below. Beside them, are the number of ICU beds they have:
Mayurbhanj: 10
Malkangiri:10
Rayagada:10
Nuapada:10
Gajapati:15
Nabrangpur:8
Kalahandi:6
Kandhamal:20
Boudh:6
Mayurbhanj: 10
Malkangiri:10
Rayagada:10
Nuapada:10
Gajapati:15
Nabrangpur:8
Kalahandi:6
Kandhamal:20
Boudh:6
This means the nine MOST BACKWARD districts of Odisha don't even have 100 beds cumulatively for them. They are a population of close to one crore, 25% of entire Odisha.
These districts also have relatively more inaccessible terrain, higher burden of TB and other infectious diseases, higher malnourishment and higher burden of UNDIAGNOSED DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION("co-morbidities")
Odisha takes pride in tribal art & culture. Then why doesn't it invest more in the health & well-being of its tribal population? Why do districts with higher ST population have worse health outcomes? Because health inequity is systemic and its linked to CASTE. The apathy is real.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
