Maternal health disparities among paniya tribal women in Wayanad, Kerala

Kerala, despite being lauded for its exemplary health indicators and human development achievements, reveals significant disparities when the tribal population is examined separately. This study investigates the maternal healthcare utilization patterns among Paniya tribal women in Wayanad district, Kerala. Drawing on primary data from 57 pregnant and lactating women, the research explores critical aspects such as age at marriage, incidence of maternal anemia, family planning awareness, access to healthcare services, and utilisation of government welfare schemes. The findings reveal that early marriage is highly prevalent, with over 40% of women marrying in their teenage. A strong and statistically significant association was found between early marriage and maternal anemia, with 93.8% of women married before 18 being anemic. Inadequate awareness of family planning, short inter-pregnancy intervals, and poor nutritional practices further compromise maternal health. Although health schemes like PMMVY, JSY, and Mathruyanam exist, more than half of the respondents were unaware of these programs, and many failed to receive the intended benefits. Access to healthcare remains limited due to geographical isolation, lack of transportation, and poor connectivity. Health activists, particularly ASHA workers, played a crucial role in maternal care awareness, while Oorumithras were perceived as ineffective due to inadequate training and communication barriers. The study concludes that systemic exclusion and implementation gaps continue to marginalize tribal women from the benefits of Kerala's robust health system. Multisectoral strategies focusing on legal enforcement, awareness, infrastructure, and capacity-building of community health workers are essential to promote equitable maternal health outcomes among tribal populations.