Women's Health
While the villages Ak’ Tenamit serves suffer an array of health problems, Q’eqchi women are especially vulnerable. According to Health Ministry statistics, the maternal mortality rate in Ak’ Tenamit’s area is 500 per 100,000, which is more than twice the national rate. Infant mortality in the area is also higher than the Guatemalan average, as is the incidence of many diseases that affect women. Ak’ Tenamit has consequently made prenatal care and women’s health priorities within the health program.
Ak’ Tenamit expands its impact by organizing village health fairs, where free Pap smears are provided as part of medical and dental consultations. Our health program also organizes workshops for village women covering such topics as nutrition, breast cancer, reproductive health and family planning. The health of local women, especially women of child-bearing ages, is also a priority in the training of village health promoters, who provide basic care between medical team visits. As in Ak Tenamit’s education and development work, the health program emphasizes the importance of gender equality and the concept of male/female equilibrium in traditional Maya culture.
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