Promoting an intercultural health model for Caribbean peoples

Bluefields held the regional health sectoral table, consisting of members of the Autonomous Regional Council of the South Caribbean Coast (CRACCS), Government Coordination, universities, Territorial Governments of indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, religious organizations and civil society. This session was held with the aim of sharing the achievements and difficulties of 2020 and the outlook for 2021 regarding health in the region.

From URACCAN he coordinated with the Institute of Traditional Medicine and Community Development (IMTRADEC) to address the theme "Training of human capital in mental health", this presentation was given by teacher Heidi Guillén, academic secretary of the Bluefields campus.

On behalf was the highest authority of this house of higher education, the excellent Dr. Alta Hooker Blandford. In addition, IMTRADEC coordinator, teacher Grace Kelly, and teacher Heidi Guillén.

Articulation of health instances to respond to autonomous regions

This dialogue space consists of articulating each of the organizations working on the issue of health, and sharing the work they have been developing in the region on the issue of health; this year was emphasized in the care provided by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this regard, Dr Hooker stated that "by listening to how the traditional part is addressed and how they have been organized with traditional physicians, community leaders and how the community health network was reactivated, it is really mounted on what the regional health model has raised."

"I see it as a very good opportunity for us to continue to share the good experiences of each of the institutions and develop proposals to continue to deal with this virus," Dr Hooker said.  

"From URACCAN we also play a very important role with the Autonomous Regional Government, where intercultural doctors and nurses were providing care in the different territories where we have this specialty, including psychologists in multicultural contexts," she said.

Finally, Dr Hooker assured that these coordinations of institutions are important for the Autonomous Regions to move forward, as "we are on the right track, the opening up of institutions to address health issues and all the issues in the context of our Caribbean Coast, is a great opportunity for together and together to share the main problems affecting us and to find together how to solve them".