The realization of the right to health services among women and children in Nakivale Refugee Settlement

Abstract

Women and children comprise more than half of Nakivale’s total population. They have unique health challenges which makes them vulnerable and therefore need extra health attention. This study set out to examine the realization of the right to health services among women and children in Nakivale settlement. Three research objectives guided the study; 1) To establish the relationship between affordability and realization of right to health services among women and children in Nakivale refugee settlement; 2) To establish the relationship between accessibility and realization of right to health services among women and children in Nakivale refugee settlement; and 3)To establish the relationship between the limitations and realization of right to health services among women and children in Nakivale refugee settlement. A case study design with both quantitative and qualitative approaches was applied and study population of 110 respondents used, selected using purposive and simple random sampling. Survey, Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group discussion methods were employed in data collection. . It was found out that the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) is part of a rich policy environment including the Refugee Act 2006 and the Refugee Regulations 2010, which have ensured as established, that refugees were accessing free public health care for women and children. The study established that there were public health facilities in Nakivale refugee settlement that were not widely distributed. The study also established that there were a number of limitations faced by women and children regarding the enjoyment of the right to health. These were presented by structural bottlenecks in form of shortages supplies, long distances and overcrowding. The study recommends improving the health seeking behaviour of women and children; setting up new additional health facilities in line with the government guidelines to deal with health challenges presented by vulnerable groups of people like women and children, strengthening the resilience of health systems and fully operationalize CRRF, Self-Reliance Strategy (SRS), the Refugee Act 2006 and the Refugee Regulations 2010, building the technical and financial capacity of serving organization and strengthening the capacity of the local health system to render effective health services for all categories of refugee and host populations.