Is Proper Access to Healthcare Still a Myth for the Marginalized Sections?

In India, the right to health is a fundamental human right for the citizens. Yet, the accessibility of healthcare facilities comes with certain barriers, especially for the marginalized sections of the society. Marginalized communities are those systematically excluded from full participation in society, often due to factors like race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, disability or geographical location, leading to limited access to healthcare. This paper focuses on the access to healthcare facilities of the population of Dakshin Dhupjhora, Dooars, West Bengal, mainly comprising tribals and Rajbanshi ethnic groups. It makes an attempt to examine how the socio-economic, geographical and institutional challenges hinder equitable healthcare access for these populations. It explores the impact of poverty, caste-based discrimination, inadequate infrastructure, urban-rural divide and inefficiencies of governmental policies on health outcomes on these marginalized and vulnerable communities. Focusing on this geographical area, with the help of both primary and secondary data, the study highlights the struggles of tribal and ethnic communities, predominantly working in the tea estates, in accessing the public health services. This study underscores the health imperatives for the rural and marginalized population of Dooars, which are essential to realize the constitutional right to health and reduce inequities among these vulnerable communities.