Five-hundred years of medicine gone to waste? Negotiating intercultural health policy in Ecuador

Background In Ecuador, access to maternity services remains significantly lower amongst indigenous women compared with non-indigenous women partly due to cultural barriers [1]. A hospital in Ecuador where the indigenous rights movement is particularly strong implemented the Vertical Birth (VB) policy to increase indigenous womens’ access to maternity services by adapting services to the local culture. This included conducting upright deliveries, introducing Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and making physical adaptations to hospital facilities.