XISS Ranchi and ICMR-NITHR Jabalpur sign MoU to assess healthcare delivery gaps in PVTG Areas of Jharkhand

Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi, and the Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Tribal Health Research (ICMR-NITHR), Jabalpur, have entered into a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake an important research project titled, “Identifying the Gaps and Challenges in Healthcare Delivery System in Tribal Areas: A Multicentric Study.” The collaboration marks a significant step towards strengthening research-based interventions for improving tribal health outcomes in India.

The MoU was signed by Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur SJ, Director, XISS Ranchi, and Dr Praveen Bharti, Director, ICMR-NITHR, Jabalpur. The signing ceremony was attended by Dr Kalyan Brata Saha, Scientist-G, and Mr Abhishek Sharoff, Administrative Officer, ICMR-NITHR, in the presence of Dr Amar Tigga, Dean Academics, XISS, along with Dr Sant K. Prasad and Dr Uma Chatterjee from the Department of Research and Planning, XISS.

The study will focus on identifying critical gaps and challenges in healthcare delivery among Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Jharkhand, namely the Birhor community of Hazaribagh district, the Asur community of Gumla district, and the Pahariya community of Pakur district. The research aims to generate evidence-based policy recommendations to improve healthcare access and strengthen public health systems in these underserved regions.

Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur expressed his appreciation for the collaboration and described it as a significant step toward strengthening evidence-based policymaking and advancing tribal health research. Dr Praveen Bharti highlighted the importance of the partnership in improving the health and well-being of PVTGs in Jharkhand while fostering collaborative research and scholarly publications. Dr Kalyan Brata Saha, Principal Investigator of the project, highlighted the need to identify healthcare bottlenecks and develop practical strategies for improving service delivery in remote tribal areas.