Health and hygienic activities of dalits, a special reference with arunthathiars in western tamil nadu

Abstract

Health is a common right to people in all aspects. According to Article 25 of the Universal Declarations of Human Rights, everyone has the right to a standard of living, adequate for the health of himself, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary services. Though “health is wealth”, a popular saying in almost every family world over, one seldom pays attention to the fact that it is the wealth. It determines that health and access to health care without wealth can remain merely an illusion. In India Caste system plays an important role in distribution of power and adequate services. In it, Dalits are most depressed and under drowned people, especially in rural areas they don’t even have a permanent work and sufficient income and they do not acquire an adequate service of health. Dalits don’t have basic knowledge towards health care and preventive measures and they don’t have a proper health care service too. This conclusion however raises another obvious question i.e., whether one’s social or caste background determines his economic status, and consequently his access to better health care services as well. Without an economic stability and basic knowledge towards health, how they will take care of themselves and their family?Dalits are treated as untouchables till now then who will direct their health care activities? Then what is the part of government in their health progress? What is their present socio- economic and educational condition? What is their attitude towards disease and preventive measures? Who will be more responsible in families’ health? Answering these questions becomes more crucial not only to understand the health status of any community or caste but also to identify the various factors responsible for the same.