Kathmandu, June 21

Researchers from a group of universities have identified five key ‘barriers to healthcare’ that discourage people from using healthcare services in Nepal.

Despite efforts of community health workers to increase access to healthcare among ethnic minority groups in low and middle income countries, members of ethnic minorities are reluctant to use maternal and child healthcare services, stated a press release issued by the UK-based Bournemouth University, yesterday.

Bournemouth University’s Professor Edwin van  Teijlingen, who worked on the study, said,  “Working together with  collaborators from Stanford University, Liverpool John Moores  University, the University of Sheffield and the University of  Huddersfield, we have identified five key ‘barriers’ to healthcare in  Nepal among ethnic minorities.”

University research has identified factors that limit ethnic minorities’ access to healthcare services on the basis of a survey carried out among service users, voluntary health workers, and paid healthcare professionals in the Tarai region.

Five themes were identified as hindrances in providing healthcare services to ethnic minorities, including Dalits, Madhesis, Muslims, Chepangs and Tamangs. Perceived indignity and lack of knowledge about healthcare services, lack of trust on health volunteers, low decision-making power of women in family and religious practices have contributed to limiting access to health services.

Pregnant or mothers of children under two years of age were chosen as respondents in the survey. Local health workers were also interviewed to express their views on volunteers’ services. Individuals from both public health centres and NGOs working in the study areas were also chosen as respondents for the purpose.

He suggested that community health programmes should focus on increasing awareness of healthcare services among ethnic minorities, and programmes should involve both family members and traditional health practitioners.

“Both the female community health volunteers and local healthcare providers should be trained to communicate effectively to deliver respectful care among ethnic minorities if we want to achieve universal healthcare coverage for maternal and child health in low and middle income countries,” he said.