Women preparedness to participate in gender-sensitive health system strengthening with special reference to TB control

  • Thiruvalluvan. E
  • Ponnuraja. C
  • Palaniyandi. P
  • Manogaran. C
  • Miss Devamalika
  • Priyadharshini. A
  • Latha. J
  • Santhy. J

Abstract

Background:

Womens rights and access to health without discrimination are the most direct and potent ways to reduce health inequities and ensure the effective use of health resources. In order to make the health policy relevant to women, it is the women whose needs, concerns and problems have to be noted, not the needs of the expert. Therefore, it is essential to ensure womens participation in Health Policy Formulation. Such an analysis will not only enhance the participation of women in healthcare planning but also give an opportunity for health planners to develop strategies that can help to overcome gender barriers.

Settings:
Four Primary Health centres in two districts namely Tiruvallur district in north and Madurai district in south Tamilnadu.

Methods:
Focus group discussion and In-depth interviews, were used to get to know the status of women and health-seeking behaviour and their preparedness to participate in gender-sensitive health system strengthening. A sample of 179 respondents was met for in-depth interviews and another 145 participants in 12 FGDs. Respondents were identified from the villages served by each primary Health centres.

Results:
This study has shown that women members in the community found to be prepared to participate in a community forum that works towards making health system gender-sensitive. However, extensive fieldwork is required to identify like-minded individuals and to establish a community forum in the PHC.

Published
2019-10-01
Section
Articles