There is disparity in health between the indigenous and the non-indigenous populations all over the world. Incidences of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and non-infectious diseases such as cancer and diabetes also vary between these populations. The high rates of mortality among the children of indigenous people are preventable for instance, conditions like diarrhea, tuberculosis, malnutrition, parasitic infections among others.
According to the video on Indian Health Service, the Indians in America and those in India have experienced low status of health in comparison with other Americans
(http://www.ihs.gov/factsheets/index.cfm?module=dsp_fact_disparities). The main reason for this finding is poverty, cultural differences, low level of education, and discrimination while receiving the health care services. It is estimated that they have a life expectancy of 79.5 as opposed to other Americans with a life expectancy of 73.6 years.
Ways to improve Indigenous health
United Nations member States need to unite to solve the health issues faced by millions of poor people around the world. There is also need for social responsibility in solving such health problems because there is no single individual, organization or government that can do it on its own. According to an E-text “ State of World’s Indigenous peoples” health agencies and governments should initiate projects involving the community members in raising the ideas on how best to implement such projects (www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/SOWIP_web.pdf). Therefore, in solving the problem of disparity there must be a mental shift of health to incorporate culture as well as the wolves of the indigenous while designing and managing the state of health systems.
Works cited
http://www.ihs.gov/factsheets/index.cfm?module=dsp_fact_disparities http://youtu.be/7yuD2LY8vdU
www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/SOWIP_web.pdf
