To make India a self-reliant nation, we have to make every Indian disease free, Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal stated at New Delhi during the announcement of the joint National Level Project of Health Screening and Management through Ayurvedic Interventions.

This project will benefit over 20,000 Tribal Students. The Ministry of Ayush through its research council CCRAS has taken this health Initiative for Tribal Students with the joint initiative of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and ICMR-NIRTH Jabalpur. During the announcement, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda was also present.

Both the Union Minister together announced the joint initiative to address the health needs of children in Eklavya Model Residential Schools across tribal areas through public health initiatives.

The Ayush Minister said that both the Ministries join hands to study the health needs of Tribal population and cater the public health care services in major thrust areas in Malnutrition, Iron deficiency Anaemia and Sickle Cell Diseases through Ayurveda interventions, which are already prevalent and effective to address these health needs. He informed that this project aims to cover the students of 10-18 years of age group enrolled in classes 6th to 12th in identified 55 EMRS across 14 states of the country.

On this occasion, the Tribal Affairs Minister said, "Starting a national level project on health screening and management will help in identifying the prevalence of diseases and health management among our Eklavya students. It will help in developing healthy lifestyle practices in children as per the principles of Ayurveda, thereby improving and protecting their health and overall well-being with emphasis on prevention of diseases.”  Shri Arjun Munda added that there should be a medicinal plant garden in the schools to make our future generation aware about the importance of traditional medicines in our citizen’s life. He also said “we are achieving the target of developed India by making our young children healthy today.” 

The project aims at screening the general health condition of the students enrolled in classes 6th to 12th. The screening will be carried out in selected 55  Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) spread across 14 states of the country. The special focus is on Anaemia, Haemoglobinopathies, Malnutrition & Tuberculosis. Efforts will be made to inculcate healthy lifestyle practices among students as per the principles of Ayurveda. Also, an integrated approach will be made for the management of the diseases. 

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Tribal Affairs in October 2022 to explore the areas of collaboration, convergence and synergy for tribal development. Accordingly, CCRAS developed 72 Poshan Vatikas in EMRS of 20 states. CCRAS Institutes also participated in the mega health camps during Janajati Mahotsav at Saraikela, Jharkhand.

`Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) impart quality education to Scheduled Tribes (ST) children in remote areas in order to enable them to avail of opportunities in high and professional educational courses and get employment in various sectors. The schools focus not only on academic education but on the all-round development of the students including good health. At present, there are 401 functional schools spanned across the country with focus on special state-of-the-art facilities for providing quality education and training in sports and skill development.

During the announcement of Joint Public health initiatives and Research and Development Initiative of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and Shri Arjun Munda unveiled the e-book and released the brochure of their joint health initiatives.