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[page 54] [Healthcare in Low-resource Settings 2013; 1:e15]

The diverse issues 
of Healthcare in Low-resource
Settings
Asfandyar Khan Niazi
College of Medicine, Dentistry and
Nursing, University of Dundee, UK

This first issue of the Healthcare in Low-
resource Settings (HLS) includes several
papers on diverse topics. Among the many
interesting papers published in this issue,
some are briefly summarized here. The paper
by Jargin discusses the barriers to the import
of medical products to Russia, problems result-
ing thereof and presents forth some possible
solutions.1 The author highlights the conse-
quences of widespread red-tape and corrupt
practices in the current Russian import sys-
tems and argues that such practices have led
to an isolation of Russia from the rest of the
medical world. 

Shrivastava et al. in their paper2 describe
the inadequate healthcare services for the
indigenous tribes of India and the inequitable
distribution of healthcare resources between
the indigenous and non-indigenous popula-
tion. The authors present several practical and
implementable ways to improve the health sta-
tus of the indigenous tribes. 

Purohit used a mathematical model to eval-
uate the differences in the healthcare behav-
iors between rural and urban, and private and
public healthcare providers in India.3 By using
the data from the National Family Health
Survery – 3 of India, the author found signifi-
cant disparities between rural and urban
areas, with important public health policy
implications. 

Olugbile et al. used a retrospective chart
review to study the cost of treatment of
patients with psychiatric diseases in the
Nigerian population.4 On the basis of the
records of 100 psychiatric patients, the
researchers found that the cost of treatment of
medical patients was much higher than psy-
chiatric patients (Nigerian naira 2549.07 vs
1904.5, P<0.05). However the researchers
found that Nigeria does not have any free psy-

chiatric health program. They, therefore, iden-
tified the absence of free mental healthcare as
a barrier to psychiatric healthcare utilization. 

Mosha et al. used a cross-sectional study
based on face to face questionnaires to assess
the adequacy of healthcare facilities offering
male circumcision in Tanzania.5 They com-
pared the standards currently being followed in
Tanzania with the standards recommended by
the World Health Organization. The
researchers found a shortage of sterilization
and research equipment in the healthcare cen-
ters offering male circumcision. 

In another report from India, Kumar and
Mahapatro performed a qualitative study using
interviews with the auxillary nurse midwives.6

The researchers evaluated the role of sociocul-
tural factors on the acceptance of midwives, as
reported by the midwives, working in the rural
community of India. Several sociocultural fac-
tors were identified by the researchers that
impede the acceptance of these midwives in
the villages which points towards the need to
strengthen their position in their work places.

A cross-sectional study from Egypt conduct-
ed by Mohamed assessed the factors motivat-
ing healthcare workers to work in rural areas.7

The researchers conducted interviews of 302
medical students and found that a high
parental professional and educational status
was associated with a lower willingness to
work in rural areas. However a significant por-
tion of the study participants were interested
in working in the rural areas. 

The issue also includes several other inter-
esting articles that we invite you to read. 

References

1. Jargin SV. Barriers to the importation of
medical products to Russia: in search of
solutions. Healthcare in Low-resource
Settings 2013;1:e13. 

2. Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS,
Ramasamy J. Implementation of public
health practices in tribal populations of
India: challenges and remedies.
Healthcare in Low-resource Settings

2013;1:e3.
3. Purohit BC. Demand for healthcare in

India. Healthcare in Low-resource
Settings 2013;1:e7.

4. Olugbile OB, Coker AO, Zachariah MP.
Cost of treatment as a barrier to access
and continuity of healthcare for patients
with mental ill-health in Lagos, Nigeria.
Healthcare in Low-resource Settings 2013;
1:e8.

5. Mosha FF, Wambura M, Mwanga JR, et al.
Readiness of health facilities to deliver
safe male circumcision services in
Tanzania: a descriptive study. Healthcare
in Low-resource Settings 2013;1:e9.

6. Kumar A, Mahapatro M. The cutting edge
in the blunt space: an anthropological con-
struct of auxiliary nurse midwives’ social
world in the community. Healthcare in
Low-resource Settings 2013;1:e10.

7. Mohamed AM. Willingness and profession-
al motivations of medical students to work
in rural areas: a study in Alexandria,
Egypt. Healthcare in Low-resource
Settings 2013;1:e4.

Healthcare in Low-resource Settings 2013; volume 1:e15

Correspondence: Asfandyar Khan Niazi, College
of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of
Dundee, George Pirie Way, Dundee, UK.
Tel./Fax: +44.1382.381600.
E-mail: editor@hlsjournal.org

Key words: healthcare, low-resource settings, edi-
torial. 

Conflict of interests: the author declares no
potential conflict of interests.

Received for publication: 1 August 2013.
Accepted for publication: 1 August 2013.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 License (by-nc 3.0).

©Copyright A.K. Niazi, 2013
Licensee PAGEPress, Italy
Healthcare in Low-resource Settings 2013; 1:e15
doi:10.4081/hls.2013.e15