Panamá - Kuna Indians
The Kuna represent the second largest indigenous group in Panamá located on both the mainland, primarily in rural mountainous regions, and off the coast throughout the region of the San Blas Islands. Like many other indigenous populations around the world, the Kuna Indians have suffered a history of marginalization and isolation that has resulted in poor health and limited access to care. Due to the remote location of many of the Kuna communities and a history of distrust, population health and access to care remain suboptimal.
A governing body of the Kuna Indians is the Kuna Congress. IHI has worked with the Kuna Congress since 2012 to develop programs that will meet the health care needs of indigenous communities in Panamá. In partnership with the Panamá Ministry of Health, IHI has conducted needs assessments while also delivering care to improve health services throughout the indigenous communities in Panamá.
Ustupu represents our first partnered site, which is part of the forestall mountain range system of San Blas and is located in the border of Ailigandi. Ustupu is known for being one of the largest communities in the Comarca (area). Among the historical sector it represents the land of the great lider of Cuna Nele Kantule. The community has sewer systems, a medical center, a school, and an active local congress (Onmaked Nega), among other institutions. The community has an approximate population of 3,500.
Based on an initial needs assessment of Ustupu, IHI found that among the community, 60% of the population of Ustupu reported being food insecure and most adults and children only eat one meal per day. In response, IHI worked with the community leaders to develop a capacity building effort to facilitate farming and the production of food within the community. The objectives included: 1) Implement areas of agricultural production in Ustupu, community of Ustupu Cunayala; 2) Strengthen the knowledge base of the proper agricultural procedures for the staff that will be working on the project in Abnadi. In response to the need, IHI raised $7,000 from donors that provided direct support to the community to meet the project objectives. The $7,000 was used to initiate farming practices while also providing the transportation back and forth for ongoing farming. The farming project today has resulted in increased crop production and capacity to promote food security.
IHI has since established partnerships with mainland communities located in the mountainous region known as the Ngabe Bugle community, one of the largest indigenous groups in the country of Panamá. The Ngabe Bugle community experience extreme levels of poverty and have very limited access to health services and routine care. IHI has conducted an initial needs assessment with the community.
Onsite outreach and planning have been tremendously impacted by COVID-19. IHI has tentative plans to return these communities in 2021 and 2022.
Sources:
Aguilar R, Garcia-Huidobro G. Socio economic and demographic characteristics key social policy issues to alleviate their poverty. Santiago-Gothenburg. Panamá: Indigenous peoples; 2001.
Howe JA. People who would not kneel: Panamá, the United States, and the San Blas Kuna. Smithsonian series of ethnographic inquiry. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press; 1998.
Campbell JA, Walker RJ, Dawson AZ, Egede LE. Prevalence of Diabetes, Prediabetes, and Obesity in the Indigenous Kuna Population of Panama. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities. 2019 Aug 15;6(4):743-51.