TRADITIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM : BELIEF AND PRACTICES AMONG THE TRIBALS OF SOUTHERN CHHATTISGARH, INDIA

Dr. Suman Panigrahi

Volume : VI, Issue : VII, July - 2016

TRADITIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM : BELIEF AND PRACTICES AMONG THE TRIBALS OF SOUTHERN CHHATTISGARH, INDIA

Dr. Suman Panigrahi

Abstract :

Health is the most precious gift of nature. And the tribal people depend on forests for their livelihood and most of the rural people still depend on traditional medicine as a primary health care source. In tribal (rural) areas due to the less availability of allopathic health care facilities and costly medicines people also go for indigenous treatment which is locally and easily available. In the region like Southern Chhattisgarh (Bastar and Dantewara district) where most of the people resides in rural areas (with large concentration of tribal population) and health for them is a gift of God. Baiga, Gunia and other folk tradition are still in practices. The paper highlights the present health care scenario, traditional health care system, folk practitioner, their belief and method of treatment.To asses the traditional health care system, data were collected by household surveys of sample villages, focused discussions with elder members of villagers, folk practitioners of the village and other indigenous medicine personals. Present studies; therefore bear special significance, to the study of traditional health care system of Southern Chhattisgarh as well as in India with a systematic recording the tribal knowledge of traditional beliefs and practice of medicine.