Women's Health in Developing Nations: Challenges and Opportunities

Women’s health in developing nations presents a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities. In these regions, women face numerous barriers to accessing quality healthcare, including limited resources, cultural norms, and gender inequalities. Maternal health, reproductive health, gender-based violence, and socioeconomic factors significantly impact women’s well-being. However, within these challenges lie opportunities for improvement. By addressing gender disparities, strengthening healthcare systems, promoting education and empowerment, and advocating for policy reforms, we can enhance women’s health outcomes.

Challenges

Dr Kirti Chadha, Chief Scientific Officer, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, explains some of the critical challenges that women in developing countries face include but are not limited to:

(a) Lack of access to quality and high-end diagnostics. Access to accurate and timely diagnostic tools and services is crucial for early detection, treatment planning, and monitoring of various medical conditions.

(b) Lack of awareness about different health issues affecting women as compared to women living in metropolitan regions, those living in rural areas as they face barriers to education and access to high-quality healthcare in remote locations.

(c) Lack of healthcare resources including healthcare facilities, skilled healthcare professionals, and essential medicines, pose significant challenges to women’s health in developing nations.

(d) Poverty & lack of education for women in developing nations is impacting their access to healthcare, education, and other critical resources for good health.

(e) Cultural barriers are what women face as deep-rooted cultural and social norms often perpetuate gender inequality and restrict women’s agency in making decisions about their health.

“Empowering women’s health in developing nations is not just a moral imperative; it is the key to unlocking the true potential of these societies. I believe that investing in women’s health is investing in the future of entire nations. I understand the difficulties they face, particularly in terms of nutritional deficiency. Even in urban areas, we see that the majority of women are nutrient deficient. Inadequate access to nutritious food has far-reaching consequences for their overall health,” says Ananya Agarwal, Founder, and CEO, Nyumi.

Opportunities

Having said that, there are many opportunities too in developing countries when it comes to improving women’s health. “As a strong focal point, every healthcare organization or company should invest heavily in healthcare infrastructure – to add new processes, tech and to better existing ones. Also, governments and NGOs should always work towards providing accessible treatment options to women. Second opportunity lies in their education and empowerment of women, bolstering their knowledge on overall well-being, promoting gender-responsive curricula, eliminating barriers to schooling, and hence allowing access to economic opportunities,” adds Dr Chadha. Nations should also lay focus on international collaborations and other capacity-building initiatives. Technology is a huge backbone to rely on today. Using it and the wealth of data available, health programs post identifying gaps, and informed evidence-based policies can be created helping in addressing these challenges

“That is why we are committed to developing affordable supplements built for the specific needs of women in these regions. I believe that supplements play an important role in boosting immune systems, improving cognitive function, and promoting overall well-being,” adds Agarwal

In developing nations, higher maternal mortality rates are a result of inadequate nutrition. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that malnutrition causes 35% of maternal deaths worldwide.

“As an opportunity, companies must understand the unique needs of women and build products that cater to their needs, especially for their health and wellness. Let us rewrite the story of women’s health in developing nations together, paving the way for a brighter, healthier, and more equitable future for all,” signs off Agarwal.