The Importance and Impact of the Right to Healthcare in One's Mother Tongue for Women

A study conducted within the scope of preparations for the Third KESK Women's Congress revealed the indispensable place of healthcare services in one's mother tongue during diagnosis, treatment, and communication processes.

Scope of the Study Conducted Prior to the Congress

Prior to the congress to be held in September, a survey study was conducted with female healthcare workers within the SES Elazığ Branch.

During this process, carried out under the title Women's Labor and Healthcare Services in the Mother Tongue, face-to-face interviews were held with twenty-seven female healthcare workers.

Diagnostic Problems Caused by Lack of Communication

The study particularly emphasized that obtaining a complete anamnesis and establishing effective communication with the patient are necessary for an accurate diagnosis and treatment process.

It was stated that patients speaking Kurdish, Zaza, and Arabic are frequently encountered in the field, and that language barriers and a lack of interpreters create serious difficulties.

Practical Difficulties Experienced in Healthcare Services

It was stated that in cases where healthy communication cannot be established, diagnosis and treatment processes may be delayed or incorrectly executed, which creates anxiety.

It was noted that the political atmosphere and fear of stigmatization lead to these problems being covered up, and that the burden of interpreting is also placed on the workers.

Disadvantaged Groups and the Universal Right to Health

It was stated that such disruptions in disadvantaged groups such as women and children further deepen and magnify existing inequalities.

It was reported that women who have difficulty expressing themselves regarding gender-based privacy issues experience much greater inadequacies when combined with the language barrier.