Accessibility and availability of maternal health care among Oraon, Kharwar, and Chero women in Latehar, Jharkhand: A qualitative study

In this study, the authors examine the accessibility and availability of maternal health care services and the associated barriers and facilitators among tribal women in Latehar district, Jharkhand. We collected primary data using purposive sampling technique. We collected data using a semi-structured questionnaire from six key informant interviews and six focus group discussions (FGDs), resulting in a total of 48 FGD participants. We audio-recorded the discussions and manually translated, transcribed, and thematically analyzed the data. Our results found low accessibility to maternal health care services among tribal women and inadequate availability of such services in the study area. Maternal health care services among women were influenced by physical, socio-economic, and cultural factors, including strong reliance on traditional and spiritual healers. To address this challenge, we suggest improving awareness of antenatal care services, increasing the number of ambulance services, and promoting enrollment in health insurance schemes.