The  Scheduled Tribes Development department implements the following programmes for the overall health care of the tribal people.

• Running of Health Care Institutions
   

The Scheduled Tribes Development Department is running five Allopathic outpatient clinics in the remote scheduled tribe areas of Attappady (2 clinics),Chalakudy (1 clinic) and Idukki (2 clinics). More than 24000 ST patients are being assisted annually through these institutions. Ambulance services and medical camps are also being conducted through these OP Clinics.

2)Medical Assistance through Hospitals

The intention of the scheme is to provide medical care to Scheduled Tribes people through selected hospital in the state. Under the scheme treatment assistance is provided to tribal people affected by various diseases through approved hospitals in the state. The allotted amount is used for providing/ purchase of medicines, medical examinations including all types of scanning, provision for medical aids and equipments, ambulance transportation services in the absence of the same in Government Hospitals. Also, pocket money for bystanders, food expenses of patients will be provided in needy cases.

The fund is distributed through the District Medical Officers concerned to all 14 District Hospitals, identified Government Hospitals in various districts of the state where there is substantial ST population, and to the Superintendents of all Government Medical College Hospitals. Also, fund is distributed to the Superintendent of two Co-operative Medical College Hospitals viz. Cochin Medical College and Pariyaram Medical College, and to the Directors of Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Regional Cancer Centre and Malabar Cancer Centre.

3) Tribal Relief Fund

The scheme is intended to provide financial assistance to the ST population affected by various diseases and natural calamity.
Financial assistance is given to the Scheduled Tribes who are below poverty line and who suffer from various diseases including major diseases like cancer, heart/kidney/brain ailments etc. They will also be granted assistance as per the Government Orders issued as “Relief Fund of Hon.ble Minister “up to Rupees one lakh per person. Financial assistance is given to patients producing proper medical certificate obtained from concerned specialist medical practitioners. Also, it is envisaged to provide a relief to ST families in case of emergencies. Expenses incurred for/ financial assistance for organizing medical camps, transportation of patients to nearby hospitals, provision of nutritious food on the advice of the doctor, cost of purchase of drugs unavailable in hospitals, cost related to death/ postmortem, relief for managing disaster/untoward incidents/ accidents, providing immediate relief to the needy are main components of the scheme

4) Assistance for Sickle-cell Anemia Patients

Sickle Cell Anaemia is an inherited lifelong disease prevailing among the Scheduled Tribes of Wayanad, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Malappurarm districts. Continuous body pain, mental stress, inability to do hard work, malnutrition are the common problems faced by these patients. Scheme is intended to provide monthly financial assistance of 2500/- to such patients.

5)Janani-JanmaRaksha

One of the major concerns in the development of tribal health aspect is that pertains to the nutritional issues of mother and child. Inadequate pre and post maternal care ranks top among them and is attributed mainly to the lack of timely financial assistance. The scheme is envisaged for extending timely assistance @ 1000 per month for 18 months beginning from third month of the pregnancy to the month in which the child attains one year. Payment is made through bank account.

6). Financial Assistance to Traditional Tribal Healers

Under this scheme annual grant is given to traditional tribal healers @ Rs.10000/-. The beneficiaries are selected with the assistance of KIRTADS. .
      
7) Medical Units

There are 17 Ayurveda OP clinics and one Ayurveda Hospital under the department .The Ayurveda Hospital is situated at Aralam in Kanur District.

8) Mobile Medical units

Two Mobile Medical Units are functioning under the department for conducting medical camps in colonies. The units are stationed at Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram District and Thodupuzha in Idukki District. Besides these, there are 3 mobile medical units functioning in Malappuram,Palakkad, Wayanad under the department through HLL(Hindustan Life Care Ltd.) and 2 units functioning  in Kollam and Idukki through KMSCL(Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd.)