Indigenous Maternal and Child Health Care Practices

In Chhattisgarh, 42 groups have been identified as schedule tribes. They form approximately 32 percent of the total population of Chhattisgarh. Bhunjia is a declining population in Chhattisgarh (Tiwari, 2001). The total population of Bhunjia is 10603, consisting of 5225 males and 5378 females. Bhunjia tribe is one of the vulnerable tribes of Chhattisgarh. Bhunjia inhabit the deep hilly and reserved forests, 30-100 km away from Gariyaband district of Chhattisgarh state and Nuapada district of Orissa. Bhunjia mainly comprise of two social groups Choukhutia and Chinda Bhunjia (Russel & Hiralal, 1916; Dube, 1948; Dubey, 1961; Mohanty, 2004).The present studies reveal that the Bhunjia maternal and child health care practices and the maternal health status of Bhunjia mothers also focus utilization of reproductive child health care services provided by Government of Chhattisgarh in respect to the antenatal care. In the present study has been discussion and comparison with previews studies on different tribal communities. The socio-economic status, level of education, quality of maternal health and antenatal care was quite low in Bhunjia mothers.