The Indian state Odisha houses 22.1% of the country’s tribal population with 62 different tribes. SAORA TRIBE, also known widely as Saura, Saurah, Sorah have a population of 5 lakhs i.e., 60% of them residing in Gajpati, Ganjam, Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Rayagada districts of Odisha. It is believed that this tribe existed since the times of Ramayana and Mahabharata. They have very rich culture and unique costume design famous for their saura tribal art. Saoras are one of the particularly vulnerable tribal group declared by the government of India. Being divided in two types, Lanjia and Kappu Saura slightly differ in their lifestyle, culture, settlement, food habits and occupation with Lanjia being settled at higher hills and Kappu on the lowlands mainly involved in agriculture, livestock, farming and handicrafts. They also have their own dialect known as SORA. The panchayats - Puttasing, Sogada and Tolana have 90.56% population of this vulnerable tribal group. Tribes in these panchayats are rich in heritage and culture but lag in various essential services like healthcare, education and economic growth.
The location of the proposed PHC is chosen in the Northern side of Puttasing village along Gurumguda main road of 9m width. The Puttasing panchayat houses the highest population of vulnerable group of the SAORA TRIBE. Having badly off medical scenario, an urgent response of establishment of a PHC is felt. The 1200 sq.m site is so chosen to keep it in equal proximity to both the adjoining panchayats namely Sogada and Tolona.
A biomedical waste burial pit is proposed towards the rear corner of the site far from the UGR to avoid contamination and to ensure proper disposal of hazardous medical waste under enclosed supervision. Access to the common public is not given to that zone. The pit is 4.5m in depth and 3m in width covered with 50 cm lime on the surface. On each occasion, when wastes are added to the pit, a layer of 10 cm of soil is added to cover the wastes. This method is so chosen to have proper on-site infectious waste treatment due to its remote location and distance from block municipality disposal.