A few weeks ago, an Akha friend of mine told me that her mother was going to a private hospital in Chiang Rai to get her yearly pap smear, rather than at the local free government clinic where I volunteer. I confusingly asked why...private hospitals charge about 600 baht for a pap smear (and an average daily wage for an Akha farmer is 100-150 baht), and I knew that her mother was already stretched for money. She told me that yes, it is free to get a pap smear done at the local government clinics, BUT the problem is after it is finished they give the results to the village health worker to deliver to the villagers.
Sounds simple. Pap smear finished. Delivered to the village health worker, who will then responsibly and carefully deliver the results to the appropriate people. The clinic does this because most of the villagers (at least the older ones) cannot read Thai, so they need help translating the results into Akha.
Here is where the glitch happens. The village health worker decides to make life easier for himself and instead announces the results over the village intercom. For example, "Apee Meeyo, it looks like you have a bad case of genital warts, (insert giggles from the announcer) and you are supposed to go in for another check up next month." However, the bantering doesn't end there...after the village announcements people continue to tease you when they see you about whatever is going on down there.
It is every women's nightmare. So crazy that it made me laugh at first when I thought about how HIPPA would respond to this at home. And then I started feeling AWFUL for these poor women in the village.
Last week I told the head of the clinic where I work about what was going on in the village. She had no idea, and said at the next meeting she would have a talk with the village health worker about this and try to come up with a better solution.
Privacy is certainly not overrated when it comes to our lady parts.
It is every women's nightmare. So crazy that it made me laugh at first when I thought about how HIPPA would respond to this at home. And then I started feeling AWFUL for these poor women in the village.
Last week I told the head of the clinic where I work about what was going on in the village. She had no idea, and said at the next meeting she would have a talk with the village health worker about this and try to come up with a better solution.
Privacy is certainly not overrated when it comes to our lady parts.
Posts
12 comments:
When I saw that title, I thought oh boy, here comes way too much information. There definitely was an element of tmi in the post, but it wasn't what I expected. I was laughing until you reminded me that the women were being embarrassed. Then I had to laugh again when you brought up HIPPA.
That is apalling. Poor people.
RIDICULOUS! Some people need a smack upside the head. Actually, kind of a lot of people do. I volunteer for that job.
So Awful, yet sadly not surprising!
Sick and wrong.
oh my oh my!! hehee.. definitely embarrassing!! and soo glad you heard to hopefully have them change the system! xoxo
i volunteer to help Melissa 'smack' some heads! Hope you can help make a change in the communication methods! :(
Oh my could you even imagine?!?!?!?! Good for you for letting someone know. Maybe they can fix it?
Apparently I'm the only guy willing to comment on a post with the words "pap smear" in the title.
Zoiks.
I would hate this! I hope they get a bit of a privacy policy of their own. Maybe they will save a tree and not make everyone sign it, just not annouince it overhead...
i still don't believe you.
Post a Comment