Integrated Medical Pluralism to Sustain Health Care in the Indian Trans-Himalayas

Jane Babiarz, MS2, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA

Abstract

Inadequate health care delivery in the Indian trans-Himalayas arises from the harsh landscape and climate, poverty, the inaccessibility of health care centers, and a burden of chronic diseases and preventable acute illnesses that exceeds the number of traditional healers in the region. Systematizing a pluralistic healer network that integrates NGOs, international health organizations, mobile camps, district clinics, and traditional healers could address the issue of sustaining health care in this region. The backbone of this strategy would be a pre-existing resource relied upon by public and private health organizations: community health workers.