Normally, I wouldn't blog about such a subject, but recently, I've decided to make a gynecologist appointment. It's not a big deal, I just wanted a check-up. Now, first I want to remind you that I live in WESTERN EUROPE. This isn't the third world, it's a "modern" country that is part of the EU (and has been for quite a while). There are also 23,000 people in this town. And - this is the best part of all - Priego is seen as the center of the region, which means that people in the tiny pueblitos come here to conduct their business and go to school, the bank, the grocery store, etc. That said, there is no hospital here. The closest one is in Cabra, 17 miles (or 35-45 minutes on the bus) away.
So, the gynecologist...Here in Spain, you can go to the public centro de salud (health center) where they accept everyone. I showed my ID card (the one that took four trips to Córdoba to acquire) and was given a number in their computer system. It's generally crowded and you have to pull a deli number to make an appointment. I already knew they didn't have a gyno, but I figured I'd go check it out anyway. I was right about the lack of gynecologist. However, they had a "solution." I'm seeing my primary doctor, who will determine if I actually have to see a gynecologist or not. If I do, she'll give me a referral (and hopefully explain how to use it) and I have to get an appointment in Cabra. After talking to a woman who does paperwork a few days at my school, I have learned that this appointment will be in two to three months (at the earliest).
Option two is to go to a private medical center, which my insurance allows me to do. Okay, fine. I'll go to a private doctor, pay out of pocket and get reimbursed later (how the insurance works)...this is my health, I have no problem doing that. This doctor is also the place where the secretary and science teachers from my school go. Great, now I know about the option and I have people who recommend it. Sounds great, right? WRONG. The medical center has a gynecologist in theory, but reality is that a gynecologist comes from Córdoba (63 miles, 2 hours on the bus, 1 1/4 hours by car - there's only a highway for part of the trip) once a month. If you want to be seen by the gyno, you must go to the health center and get on the list. Today is January 27, I'm on the list for March 4 or 5 (they're still not sure which day the doctor will come; they also don't know if it will be for morning or afternoon appointments).
My other option is to physically go to Córdoba or Granada (52 miles, 1.5 hours on the bus - no highway connects Priego and Granada at all). This is apparently what most women (who have insurance) do.
So, I got to thinking....what the hell do pregnant women do? Don't they have to see the doctor frequently? There aren't many women between the ages of 20 and 25 here in Priego, but there sure are a lot of people having babies (strollers cram the two-foot-wide sidewalks). The principal of my school is pregnant. I figured I'd ask her, but she wasn't in her office at 1pm when I finished class, so I asked the secretary (Lourdes). Apparently, I'd just missed Maria Jose who had left to go to the gynecologist!!!!! She was on her way to.....Córdoba.
It baffles my mind that in Spain, a country considered to be part of the so-called "western world," women's healthcare is still lagging. I'm not sure how it works in rural parts of the US, but I hope women's healthcare is more of an issue there, because here, no one seems to mind the lack of gynecologists.
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