Author(s): Ruth Jones
Mentor(s): Matthew Newsom, Shoba Gurung
Institution SUU
This presentation draws on ethnographic research conducted in the rural Toledo district of Belize to explore prenatal healthcare access for Maya women. In this region, healthcare services are provided through a combination of governmental health organizations and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). However, the medical officials working in these spaces possess inadequate understanding of the experiences that pregnant Maya women face, which limits their ability to provide effective and appropriate healthcare to Maya women. The isolated locations of Mayan villages, compounded by limited public transportation options, create substantial barriers that prevent many women from obtaining the care they need. Services and resources that once addressed some of these accessibility issues have been discontinued, leaving local healthcare workers struggling to maintain even basic levels of care in these remote communities. To illuminate some of the common issues that arise regarding care quality and accessibility, I will present firsthand accounts of women I met during my research period, whose personal stories reveal the impact of these barriers on maternal health. Additionally, through my interactions and interviews with a United States-based NGO, I will examine the role of transnational organizations in providing on-site, mobile healthcare services. Finally, I will introduce some perspectives from local healthcare workers in the Toledo District, who are currently facing severe shortages of funding and medical supplies. As clinicians work to increase their resources, I argue that fostering more meaningful and frequent communication between caregivers and their Maya patients could serve as a vital step toward improving prenatal healthcare outcomes for these women.