Human Rights and Access to Healthcare in KBK Districts of Odisha

The eight districts of the KBK region of Odisha, namely Koraput, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Rayagada, Malkangiri, and Kandhamal, represent one of the most acutely underdeveloped geographic zones in India. Despite decades of special development initiatives, healthcare indicators in the KBK region continue to lag far behind both State and national averages. This article examines healthcare access in the KBK districts through the lens of international and constitutional human rights law, treating access to healthcare not as a charitable benefit but as a justiciable entitlement. Drawing on primary data collected from 600 respondents across the eight KBK districts, supplemented by secondary data from government health reports, NHRC records, and census databases, the study identifies structural, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers that prevent the people of the KBK region, particularly women, children, and Scheduled Tribe communities, from realising their right to health. The article situates these findings within the framework of Article 21 of the Constitution, the Directive Principles, and relevant international instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). It concludes with a set of targeted policy recommendations aimed at transforming the existing healthcare landscape in the KBK region into one that is rights-based, community-centred, and institutionally accountable.