Health in comprehensive life plans

The objective of this research was to describe the current situation of the health components of the Integral Life Plans of four indigenous organizations of Vaupés (Colombian Amazon).

The four communities are located in the rural area of the municipality of Mitú and are traditional indigenous organizations: Organization of the Central Indigenous Zone of Mitú (OZCIMI), Association of Traditional Indigenous Authorities Near Mitú (AATIAM), Association of Traditional Indigenous Authorities of the Communities Near the Micro Hydroelectric Plant (AATICAM) and the Union of Indigenous People of Cuduyari (UDIC).

The research arose within the framework of the project “Proposal for the improvement of health and greater protection against priority diseases for women, children, adolescents and excluded populations in situations of vulnerability in the department of Vaupés”, in which Sinergias developed recommendations and inputs to build a health care model adaptable to the tradition and culture of the indigenous communities.

The Integral Plans of Life are the local development plans that the Indigenous Councils build from their cosmovision. These Integral Plans arose from the State's recognition of the cultural and ethnic diversity of the country and the autonomy of the territorial entities.

Recently, the Indigenous Presidential Council has requested that the plans be methodologically unified so that they all have minimum components such as: the formulation of principles, concepts of territoriality, culture, life and people; however, the health component is still missing.

For Sinergias, this is of concern because ensuring the right to health of indigenous populations is fundamental when it comes to protecting intercultural rights. The guarantee of these rights must face the great challenges presented by the regulations and the articulation of the visions of these peoples in the implementation of public policies.

The research revealed that in the four cases investigated, the territorial entities, authorities and population do not take ownership of initiatives that guarantee the materialization of a Health Model adequate to the socio-cultural, political and demographic characteristics of the department.

The need for accompaniment, advice and technical assistance from national entities, the definition of methodologies and simple and functional instruments, are some of the necessary conditions to formulate and implement plans that respond to local needs, and that can be articulated with departmental and national ones.

“It is necessary an articulated and decisive action by institutions, academia and the non-governmental sector to favor these processes,” say Pablo Montoya, Pablo Martínez and Érica Caicedo, authors of the research.

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