Front-line Mission Story: Woman's Health in Nepal

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At age 65, Bhakti was especially vulnerable to the risks associated with a surgery, so the ADRA doctors advised her to have a pessary ring inserted to stop her uterus from descending.

At age 65, Bhakti was especially vulnerable to the risks associated with a surgery, so the ADRA doctors advised her to have a pessary ring inserted to stop her uterus from descending. After the quick and relatively painless procedure, Bhakti recovered on a wooden bench.

Half the women her age in this country have this same medical problem, but they hide it. Bhakti’s adult daughter explained that it is normal in Nepal to ignore women’s health. A study released last month identifies the factors behind the high incidence of this health problem. Nepali women marry and have children at an early age. They have large families, but receive poor pre- and post-natal care because most have no access to health care. And, they do too much heavy work during and immediately after delivery.

In rural Nepali villages, people can wait all year for the mobile health camps to receive medical services. In the area around Bhakti’s village, those who need to go the nearest hospital must take a bus for five hours through steep, forested hills.

At the Ganeshpur health camp, ADRA’s staff had expected about 350 women. However, by 1:30 in the afternoon, 325 had signed in and another 200 were waiting to register. Many held infants.

ADRA’s goal for the health camp project is for 14,000 Nepali women to receive medical care at the planned 84 camps, which will also provide training for 600 local health workers.

Talks are underway with Nepal’s ministry of health about future health camps once this project ends. To make the project happen, ADRA partnered the United Nations Fund for Population and a Europe-based charity, Public Health Concern Trust. The European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office provided the funding.

[From a copyrighted story by Marty Logon released in December on the IPS wire service.]

Date published: February 16, 2007