Centre to promote nutrition, provide safe drinking water for students in tribal schools across India

New Delhi: The Ministry of Health on Thursday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to improve the health and well-being of students in tribal schools.Health Minister JP Nadda and Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram presided over the MoU signing ceremony. An expert committee on tribal health also submitted a detailed report with findings and recommendations to the ministers.[caption id="attachment_4934191" align="alignleft" width="380"]

File photo of Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram. PTI[/caption]“In line with our government's commitment to universal health coverage with priority accorded to the health needs of those who require it the most, our endeavour is to ensure that health concerns of the tribal population are holistically addressed,” Nadda said.He said the agreement is aimed at improving the health indicators of the needy and the poor. “Simultaneously, measures would have to be taken to ensure tribal population are co-opted and not left out,” the health minister said. Oram assured that the government will implement the recommendations of the report.The main objectives of the memorandum are to provide age-appropriate information about health and nutrition to children in schools, to promote healthy behaviours among them, to detect and treat diseases early in children and adolescents.It will also include promoting the use of safe drinking water in schools, safe menstrual hygiene practices by girls and promoting yoga and meditation through Health and Wellness Ambassadors and encourage research on health, wellness and nutrition for children.The Expert Committee on Tribal Health was constituted jointly by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 2013. The committee comprises 12 senior experts who have worked for health in tribal areas, research institutions and secretaries of states with tribal population.