The Nilgiris have wealth of diversity, which includes the varied floral and faunal diversity. Besides, tribal diversity is also high in this region. The Nilgiris are of the major hill stations that are home to around ten different primitive tribal communities with distinctive cultures.
The present paper documents the wealth of 62 medicinal plant species used by the indigenous Nath community of Assam in different types of health treatment. The botanical name, family name, vernacular name, parts used and their application has been provided in the present paper. Jan 2008
The study deals with the concept of disease and sickness, the different methods of treatment, the official health policies over the years among the Gaddis of Bharmour, Himachal Pradesh. Jan 2008
The present paper documents the wealth of 62 medicinal plant species used by the indigenous Nath community of Assam in different types of health treatment. The botanical name, family name, vernacular name, parts used and their application has been provided in the present paper.
The present study makes an attempt to find out the beliefs and practices related to health care system of the Sonowal Kachari tribe of Assam. The study reveals that the Sonowal Kachari believes that certain diseases are caused by malevolent super natural forces and they try to cure them by pleasing the supernatural powers through prayers and sacrifices. They also use various locally available medicinal herbs for treating diseases. Village medicinemen locally known as
Patients seek cures from a variety of medical systems. In the traditional medical systems, medical traditions partly cover other sectors of social life. In contrast to traditional health care system, the official health care system is based on Western science and technology. Gaddis employ different ways in case of sickness. Traditional medical knowledge is coded in to household cooking practices, home remedies; ill health prevention and health maintenance beliefs and routines. Like other rural parts of India, health care in Bharmour among Gaddis is characterised by medical pluralism.
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is characterized by a rich diversity of ethnomedicinal plants and a rich heritage of traditional medicine practices. The present study showed that 139 species of plants belonging to 51 different families were used in tribal medicine of this region. However, 27 per cent of medicinal plants of this region are under different categories of threat.
About 60% area of Kandhamal district in Orissa is covered under forest. It is inhabited mostly by scheduled tribes (kondha) and scheduled caste people.The livestock population is quite high, but the health care for livestock is very meager. Hardly any veterinary aid reaches the remote tribal villages. However, farmers have their own methods of curing livestock diseases. Dec 2007
The right to permanent sovereignty of indigenous peoples over natural resources is implicit in international law particularly in the right of ownership of the lands they historically or traditionally
The work in the B R Hills of Karnataka by H Sudarshan, a medical doctor, on the primary healthcare of the Soliga tribes is a rare example of the role of equity, social justice, maximum community participation and empowerment of the people, in addition to the encouragement of indigenous and traditional systems of medicine, in a successful community health programme.
