Health Care Volunteer

Programs in health care require specific qualifications (such as medical, nursing, social work) and you must have some experience working in the field. Hence your individual program will be discussed upon booking. Health care volunteer participants must be excellent communicators, show cultural sensitivity and have the ability and drive to facilitate change.

Women’s Health Status in India

Rural women in Asia are amongst the most disadvantaged people in the world in terms of their health status and access to accurate health information and comprehensive, adequate and affordable health services.

Beyond the specific sexual and reproductive health concerns of rural women, is the fact that rural women and young girls are malnourished, vitamin deficient and frequently ill. It is important for women to have access to family planning services, information and education.

“The Beijing Declaration (1995) from the Fourth World Conference on Women – articulates the recognition and reaffirmation of the right of all women to control all aspects of their health, including their sexual and reproductive health, as foundational to the empowerment of women.” Unfortunately many governments are falling short on these commitments.

iSPiiCE volunteering has instigated a new initiative, for health care volunteers to travel with English speaking Guides into small rural villages to meet with locals (and especially pregnant and lactating women) in their homes;

To discuss with them their own current personal situation with regard to their general health and well-being - difficulties/concerns they may be facing.
To assess their knowledge concerning the importance of nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.
To determine any practical ways of assistance and advice that will benefit their specific situation e.g: health education/group discussions for women, run by qualified medical people, access to important nutrients etc.

Health care volunteers, with the assistance of guides, will be encouraged and advised to ask a series of brief questions and take notes, in order to assess the greatest areas of need for these women. From this they will be encouraged to consult with medical personal of the local clinics where practical. Volunteers with a knowledge or interest in public Hhealth education may also take small health, hygiene and fitness awareness classes.

These visits are deemed beneficial to all involved, in terms of increased education and awareness, not only for the women but also for other members of the family and also as an important part of the volunteer experience, in terms of seeing at a grass roots level, the difficulties these women of rural Indian face and offering very practical ways of assistance that will ultimately bring benefits for the whole community into the future.

Barriers of Poverty, Illiteracy, Geography, Conflict and Disaster

Poverty amongst rural populations has a devastating impact on rural women’s health. Many pregnant women cannot afford the costs associated with facility based care, travel to reach a facility or the lost income of those accompanying the women, and so do not receive adequate care.

Poverty can cause delays in receiving appropriate health services until a condition reaches its most critical stage. Literacy and education can play a role in rural women’s reduced health status. Rural women, rarely exposed to comprehensive women’s health information, do not have correct information about contraception, the importance of a skilled birth attendant, adequate quality nutrition and a host of other important health issues. There is a prevalence of anaemia and nutrient deficiencies amongst pregnant and lactating women.

With minimal education and limited access to reproductive health services, many women are left on their own to manage their fertility and sexual and reproductive health and well-being. Geographical factors, transportation infrastructure and fear of travelling can also impact directly on women’s health status in India.

Barriers of Culture and Society

Longstanding and entrenched gender inequalities impact on rural women’s health status. They have less access to basic resources (e.g. social, health, educational and agricultural service systems) compared to their male counterparts.
Women’s lack of decision-making power is apparent in their inability to control when and to whom they will be married. Early marriage is more common in rural areas and unfortunately this can negatively impact their health and well-being.
Social-cultural norms influence health seeking behaviours and health delivery. For example; male village-level health providers in India report that taboos prohibit them from conducting physical examinations or invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on rural women, a situation that results in them providing care that is ineffective and more expensive (e.g. pills and shots) and can delay correct diagnosis and access to appropriate care. The situation is compounded when rural women also report that they do not feel comfortable receiving reproductive care and treatment from a male doctor.

Failure to Protect, Promote and Ensure Rural Women’s Health

For governments to achieve real equity in women’s health status, they must recognize and put in place mechanisms to overcome barriers, such as poverty and illiteracy that negatively impact rural women’s health and ultimately work towards changing such conditions.

Resources remain a persistent problem in developing countries, whether financial or human, as governments invest adequately in facilities, medicine, equipment and wages for trained health care staff to work in remote rural areas.