Resumen
Public health programs in Latin America are seeking to enhance the role
of traditional midwives by encouraging their participation in reproductive
health, with a special focus on birth and delivery. In Guatemala, given the
potential coverage of the underserved indigenous population, participation of
traditional midwives has been piloted to help improve the coverage and quality
of services offered to these populations to reduce maternal mortality and improve
pre- and post-natal care. Nevertheless, little emphasis is placed on the role of
traditional midwives in the prevention and early diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. This
is quite surprising considering the fact that the number of people affected by
HIV/AIDS in Guatemala has increased in the last few years. The main objective
of this study is to analyze the role of traditional midwives and the challenges to
the utilization of traditional medical resources such as the traditional midwives
within the national health system in relation to HIV/AIDS diagnosis and
prevention. (Extraído del documento)