Introduction to cultural healthcare differences

We went out to the village yesterday to one of the community healthcare buildings where there was a meeting of village women to ask them what their local needs were. The healthcare staff, mainly from a social worker background were really keen to show us how needy the community was which basically involved pointing to various women in the group and saying things like - "she's mentally retarded, she's blind, um, yes, that one there's a bit of a thickie" You know the score, it was slightly alarming, but the women despite having their shortcomings pointed out in such a overt way, were keen to tell us everything and actually put their hands up to express their disabilities if they had been passed over. Amazing how we take confidentiality not only for granted but that it is sacrosanct!