Because it is not the only medicine of the patient

2001/11/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

In our society, patients come to the doctor and follow their advice. In most cases, in addition, they have to suffer the disease alone, since others do not understand their problems so easily. Patients feel unprotected and feel unable to understand their concerns and responsibilities.

The diabetic Indians of the Gila River reserve do not have to suffer this type of isolation. In this reserve, located 40 miles from Fenix, they have realized that any help that can be given to the patient is scarce, and with the aim of doing something about it, it has been thought to combine the customs of the Indians with the methods of traditional Western medicine.

Once a week, patients with diabetes meet at the Hu Hu Kam Hospital. There they gather around the practicing Christ Gerar and perform a traditional ceremony. Kisto is a traditional practitioner who directs many healing ceremonies of North American Indians.

Although in the hospital he cannot follow all the steps of ceremonies, he tries to get a pleasant and safe environment for patients to feel at ease and calm and raise their problems before others. Therefore, the attention to patients, especially the psychological one. The drugs and treatments are the responsibility of the hospital physicians.

According to data from the National Health Institute, 9% of American Indians have been diagnosed with diabetes. However, in the reserve of Gila River the proportion is much higher. In this reserve there are two tribes, Pima and Marikopa. Among the pimas, 50% of the population has diabetes. Therefore, it is important to launch and carry out this type of programs.