Exploring the barriers to feminine healthcare access among marginalized women in Bangladesh and facilitating access through a voice bot

In today's digital age, ensuring high-quality healthcare services is paramount for both physical and mental well-being. This is particularly challenging in developing countries like Bangladesh, where marginalized individuals, especially women, face barriers to accessing essential healthcare. Financial constraints and limited awareness often hinder their ability to avail themselves of private or public healthcare services. Besides, women have distinct healthcare difficulties compared to men, and they are also more likely to catch certain illnesses and diseases. However, there is a noticeable gap in the existing literature, with insufficient research specifically dedicated to addressing the healthcare challenges faced by this underprivileged group of women in developing countries. In this study, we delve deeper into the healthcare challenges faced by underprivileged women in Bangladesh, including issues related to menstruation and gynecological disorders through a field study in a slum area. Drawing valuable insights from this field study, we propose leveraging voice bots in the telecommunications sector as an innovative solution to provide accessible and targeted healthcare support for marginalized women. We present the prototype of such a voice bot to be available 24/7 with detailed workflow and performance evaluation. We expect that our study will contribute to the ICTD scholarship by informing future interventions for economically disadvantaged communities as well as informing policymakers grappling with the healthcare challenges faced by underprivileged women.

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