Barriers to Care: Analyzing Challenges in Indigenous Healthcare Access in Ecuador

Indigenous communities in Ecuador face persistent healthcare inequalities rooted in structural injustice, geographic isolation, and cultural exclusion. Despite constitutional protections and efforts to integrate traditional medicine, these populations suffer disproportionately from high rates of maternal and infant mortality, chronic diseases like diabetes, and widespread malnutrition. Access to care is hindered by underfunding, inadequate rural healthcare facilities, and the dominance of Western biomedical models, which undermine trust and discourage use of institutional services. While programs such as Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and culturally sensitive clinics have improved access, without sustained and culturally relevant interventions, Indigenous communities will remain at heightened risk of poor health outcomes, deepened poverty, and vulnerability to public health crises.