Exchanges of knowledge to prevent COVID-19

Bilwi's Local Comprehensive Health Care System (Silais), the Ministry of Health of the Regional Government and representatives of the Policlinic Ernesto Hodgson, had an important participation in the dialogue on the "Approach of Intercultural Health to the COVID-19 Pandemic", promoted by the rector of URACCAN, Dr. Alta Suzzane Hooker Blandford, within the framework of the UNESCO Chair, "Wisdoms and Knowledge of Peoples".

Dr Luis Manuel Solís Pinell, epidemiologist at Bilwi Polyclinic, noted that these actions must continue to be implemented in the Region because of the particularity of multicultural context of the Caribbean Coast, "it is important for us to share with different sectors, but there is a sector that for us is the key to success and is the community network and our traditional doctors , which are part of this community network."

The epidemiologist explained that a global health problem is currently facing, "but it is not the first problem, but it is because of the impact of the approach in the media that we are giving it a connotation and it develops in a geopolitical context very complicated by the struggle of powers between the different nations," Solís said.

In addition, Dr. Solís referred to hygiene habits that have been implemented from home."A pandemic had to come for us to learn how to wash our hands, and hand washing is the main measure of prevention and control, not only of respiratory or contact-borne diseases, also of digestive diseases, therefore, I think, that within this problem we will prepare more, for possible pandemics," the epidemiologist detailed.

Autonomous Regions in the implementation of their own health model

For her part, Dr. Odeth Salazar of the Silais explained that the Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua's Caribbean Coast have the advantage of having their own health model, so the Ministry of Health in this region has implemented this model, "which has to do with the incorporation of the authorities of the communities".

"We have started as a Ministry of Health in coordination with the interinstitutional part disinfection activities, because we know that, as a population, as people, we move from one place to another, that is why disinfection is being done in the markets, in the transport units, in our health units, but we as families have to start implementing this disinfection of all surfaces that we come into contact to avoid any situation" Expressed.

Intercultural communication is an essential element in the communities of the Caribbean Coast

Finally, Dr. Desler Romero, representative of the Ministry of Health of the Autonomous Regional Government of the North Caribbean Coast, emphasized the reality of the peoples of the Caribbean Coast, the particularities of communicative processes in the regions, are totally different from the other peoples of Nicaragua, "we have a diversity of communities on the banks of the Coco River , we talk about upriver, downriver, there are communities there, I dare say that access to information is very difficult," the doctor shared.

Romero reported that through the cooperation of the Fund for the Development of Latin American Peoples through the Ministry of Health and the Regional Government "we obtained a fund at the end of April and the beginning of May where we implemented an awareness campaign, education, accompanied and articulated with the Ministry of Health and started around 60 communities , (...) what we are doing, our communities, our indigenous people, must know the disease, what is COVID-19, what is the clinical picture, the symptomatology".

The University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast (URACCAN), through its Institute of Intercultural Communication (ICI), has implemented an intercultural communication campaign, where through audiovisual and radio messages the cost-effective population has been informed about preventive measures before COVID-19, these diffuse messages were translated into the languages originating in the Mixed Peoples , indigenous people (Mayangnas and Miskitus) and Afro-descendants (English), so that the costña society has a clear perception of what is facing this pandemic.