What this woman doctor in Nepal is doing to save thousands from dying

Advancing women’s rights in Nepal continues to be a struggle. Traditional practices such as the dowry system and early marriage put women at a disadvantage [1] , contributing to high levels of gender discrimination. Their insufficient access to quality health services and education has affected their capabilities, which is why these areas need to be a priority.

Women Leaders in Healthcare (Asia) is celebrating the work of Dr. Sweta Dhakal, a Nepalese woman who will share her personal take on leadership. Despite all the cultural challenges of the country she was raised in, Dr. Sweta Dhakal has persisted and become a leading figure in the field of healthcare. She shares how certain men in her life have used their privileged position in society to help in her journey. More importantly, women in her life—such as her grandmother-in-law—have animated her actions and helped inspire her advocacy of empowering fellow women and achieving gender equality.

Given the situation in Nepal, which was poorly resourced during the COVID crisis, share with us what you are doing as a woman leader in healthcare and how the rest of the world came to support your efforts.

Hi, I am Dr. Sweta Dhakal, an Obstetrician and Gynecologist, from Nepal. I was working at an international hospital in Shanghai but due to family reasons and COVID, I am currently in Nepal. I am a nursing mother, a student of Master of Public Health, and also associated with the Nepal-China Executive Council. Throughout the COVID pandemic, with the help of the People’s Republic of China, we have been trying to reach out to medical facilities in all seven provinces of Nepal that have run out of masks, sanitizers, oxygen, face shields, oxygen concentrators as well as Personal Protective Equipment such as gloves and hand sanitizers. To this day we have donated approximately 1 million US dollars in medical utilities to the various hospitals here in Nepal.

Photo: Donation of medical supplies to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital

Nepal is a poor country and gender inequality remains a top concern. Maternal mortality remains a huge threat in Nepal with 186 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017 [2] , whereas the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal targets less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030 - meeting this goal will take tremendous effort. There is also a huge disparity between the genders in terms of education where the male and female literacy rates stand at 71.6% and 44.5% respectively [3] . To combat this inequality, the first step would be providing quality health, followed by educating more women – these are my next priorities.?

From your perspective, what are the tools or skills needed as a women leader in healthcare (Asia)?

In my perspective, there needs to be:

1. Education, training, and professional development of women.
2. Equal participation and representation in public and political affairs so that one woman will be the voice for another one.
3. Empowerment of women by giving them the same opportunities as men such as equal pay, considering them for leadership positions, and greater access to mentorship and sponsorship.
4. An establishment and realisation of their right to reproductive and sexual health.
5. Support for women-owned businesses.
6. Support for mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Any stories to share on your learning journey as a women leader (e.g. support from family, supervisors)?

“What a mind of men can conceive and believe that the mind of men can achieve.”

This is a famous quote taken from the book “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill that stirred me ever since I encountered it. Coming from a poor country, it occurred to me that to empower women there must be the hands of strong people.

In many ways, my father was my first ally. He used his position of influence to kickstart my leadership journey. He constantly pushed me to achieve and taught me to learn and give, raising me to be an achiever and hard worker. In this male-dominated society, he made sure his daughter would be no less than her male counterparts. In Nepal, education is the main tool for empowering women — once they are educated, they have a voice, and they have a say that is listened to. By giving me this important tool, he invested in my development, strengthened my voice, and steered me to be a woman leader in healthcare.

I would also like to share about my grandmother-in-law who was born in 1932. Her father was a teacher and he made sure his five daughters were well-educated. During those times, Nepal was ruled by the Rana family which didn’t allow girls to be educated, therefore my grandmother-in-law and her sisters were secretly sent to India for their further studies. Due to the lack of infrastructure and transportation, the trip to India took days. My grandmother-in-law completed her bachelor's and master’s degrees and later became a teacher who won the hearts of many students. She is one of my role models and an inspirational woman to many.

Moving forward, what should we do?

Much needs to be done to improve the situation of women, not just in Nepal, but in all areas of the world. It may be a daunting task to engage a status quo that has institutionalized gender inequality, but it is not impossible if all genders join forces to tackle it.?

Like my father, my husband also has played an important role in my life by supporting my education, being my pillar, and eventually giving me the means to participate in the largely male-dominated field of medicine. Allies and other individuals in positions of power need to support women in whatever capacity they have. This support is grounded in the recognition that women are at a disadvantage in society and that they have faced many injustices due to their gender. True allyship starts with the awareness of one’s own privilege and the commitment to doing something with this. In the workplace, allyship can mean mentoring women, recommending talented women to positions they deserve [4] , and advocating for equal pay.

Though they may not be aware of it, women also contribute to gender inequality when they do not call out gender bias and discrimination in their circles of influence. In this aspect, women need to reflect on how they can better help other women —whether this is through helping women network or by sponsoring other women in the industry [5] . Establishing a community of women who can support one another is essential to the cause. This is how women leaders find the backing and confidence they need to thrive in their respective industries. Bias regarding the role of women exists and overcoming it is only possible when concrete action is taken against it: which can start with the simple act of one woman being the voice for another one.

Photo: Dr. Sweta's Father and Mother

Photo: Dr. Sweta and her husband

We appreciate the amount of extra sacrifices made by all women leaders and colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. We hope you can like, share, and comment on our Women Leaders in Healthcare (Asia) campaign on LinkedIn. Today, we remind you to say thank you to our allies—mothers, sisters, female colleagues, daughters, and friends—for being a support during International Women's Month 2022.

Check?our?first post for #IWD2022 on?Her Excellency Dasho Dechen Wangmo, Minister of Health, Bhutan.?She is the only female Minister in the current cabinet of Bhutan. Learn who helped her #BreakTheBias - https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/marionneubronner_breakthebias-breakthebias-doctors-activity-6906765555341389824-Q1Op/?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

References:

Nepal Gender and Protection in Brief. (2015, April 30). ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/nepal/nepal-gender-and-protection-brief

Nepal Maternal mortality—Data, chart. (n.d.). TheGlobalEconomy.Com. Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Nepal/maternal_mortality/

Neubronner, M. (2018, March 8). Don’t let the Wonder in Women break—Fighting the bystander effect in gender inequality with three…. Medium. https://marionneubronner.medium.com/dont-let-the-wonder-in-women-break-fighting-the-bystander-effect-in-gender-inequality-with-three-fbaad9eb355a

Bhattarai, R. (2017, March 8).?The long road to gender equality in Nepal. Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://blogs.worldbank.org/endpovertyinsouthasia/long-road-gender-equality-nepal

United Nations. (n.d.).?Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/