Indigenous women and obstetric care in Hospital San Antonio de Mitú, Vaupés

The Amazonian region of Vaupés holds some of the worst health indicators in Colombia. Despite being a primarily indigenous area, its decontextualized, biomedical public health system often neglects indigenous realities, contributing to poor access to services, culturally incongruent hospitals, and alarming maternal-child indicators. We study indigenous ideas and practices of obstetric health, and indigenous women’s decision-making and experiences visiting Hospital San Antonio de Mitú. Drawing on participant observation, eight in-depth interviews, and three focus groups with community members, we identify key characteristics of Amazonian indigenous health models, their interactions with biomedicine, and barriers indigenous women face when accessing care. The data point to some shortcomings of the Colombian public health system and advocates for the potential of intercultural medicine.