Health education
Field studies associated with the testimonies of the Yanomami reveal a clear worsening of the health situation with alarming indicators, such as the infant mortality rate, the incidence of diarrheal diseases and malaria , which cause a high rate of malnutrition that affects about 50% of Yanomami children aged 0 to 5 years, causing the increase in infant mortality.
In 2016, data from the Health Portal confirm field observations, revealing that 65% of cases of Indigenous infant mortality is caused by preventable diseases such as respiratory, parasitic and nutritional diseases.
axes of action
Prevention:
Develop participatory actions of
disease prevention and health promotion.
Appreciation of the traditional:
Incentive The shaman culture, preserving the Yanomami culture in the treatment of diseases.
Indigenous Health System:
Indigenous council participation in government decisions regarding the health system offered to indigenous communities.
program objectives
The action proposal distinct and complementary offered by Health Education seeks respect the space of traditional health , understanding prevention as an essential form of action, avoiding many evils and enabling co-responsibility , from the public awareness and acceptance, reducing dependence on allopathic health through a prevention work carried out at a low cost and with the direct involvement of the population.
empower
Yanomami multiplying agents in disease prevention, health promotion and rights defense actions;
To develop
at capabilities of users of the health subsystem through participatory, conscious and critical social control;
Strengthen
the role of Indigenous Health Agents and Indigenous Sanitation Agents as intercultural multipliers;
To value
traditional health favoring intercultural dialogue.
Health education actions
The main axis is conceived through the active participation of the Yanomami aiming at a common construction of the program through the agents multipliers - Indigenous Health Agents (AIS), Indigenous Sanitation Agents (AISAN), leaders and women - for its determining and representative functions within xapono. In this sense, specific courses aimed at these agents are carried out, with the objective of pointing out solutions accessible and simple to implement.
Health workers have the role of cultural mediator between xapono and the health system and between traditional health and allopathic health. The perception and knowledge that they have of the health system enables them to take the claims and problems observed to the local and district councils . In addition, agents play a permanent role in the villages, where they pass on information through oral tradition , through meetings or daily dialogues within the xapono.
IMPACT OF HEALTH EDUCATION
The development of a Health Education program made it possible to create a network of AIS trained on the issue of child malnutrition. This network, together with AISANs, women, teachers and leaders, carries out prevention actions on an ongoing basis in the villages, using tools designed to map the sanitation situation in the xapono and plan strengthening actions at the community level.
The implementation of the water purification system with the use of solar energy helps in the prevention and cure of diseases. THE analysis of children's nutritional variety makes it possible to identify and remedy shortcomings that could lead to malnutrition or malnutrition.
Finally, there is greater visibility of Secoya's action in health education with participation in public spheres such as the Kurikama assemblies and the Yanomami Indigenous Health District Council (CONDISI).