Gaps in Access to Health Services: A Barrier to Inclusive Development for Tribal Populations of Uttar Pradesh, India

By ensuring access to health services that meet community expectations and by addressing gaps in planning, expectations, and experiences, the government could significantly enhance the lives of marginalized Indigenous communities recognized as Scheduled Tribes (ST) under the Indian Constitution. However, the extent of access to health services for tribal populations, compared to other groups, is not well understood. This study aims to support and facilitate the formulation of specific, targeted policies that benefit the tribal communities of Uttar Pradesh, India, by addressing this information gap. Through a primary data-based analysis of accessibility to health services across five dimensions, as well as a gap analysis of the perceived expectations and experiences of health services at government health centers, this study finds that the ST community of Uttar Pradesh lags in most accessibility dimensions. Additionally, this research found a significant gap exists between their expectations and experiences of health services.