I Regional Forum Human Resources for Health and Indigenous Peoples "The Challenge Interculturalism"

A joint initiative of the Pan American Health Organization, the Ministry of Health Canada, the Indigenous Fund and the Inter-American Development Bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Panama, is held the First Regional Forum for Health HumanResources and Indigenous Peoples "the Challenge of Multiculturalism" in the Hotel ElPanama in Panama City, 21 to November 23, 2011.

This forum can be followed from the Internet via the following link:

http://www.livestream.com/paho/

For more info about the Forum and transmission visit the site:

http://www.paho.org/pueblosindigenas

RECORDS

The promotion and preservation of health are primary concerns of society throughouthistory. From the origins of humanity, concern for health lies at the center of human activity.There has always been concern about the principles of healthy living and the actionsnecessary to enable an optimal balance between body and spirit ("mens sana in corporesano"). Equally important, all societies have identified members within the communities that help interpret the signs of the disease and, given their talents and special skills, aimed atmembers of your community about how remedies and medications used for this.

SOME DEMOGRAPHIC ASPECTS

  • Estimated indigenous population in Latin America and the Caribbean: 45 million, pertaining to over 400 communities in 24 countries.
  • 90% live in Central America and the Andean Region.
  • Countries with highest percentage of indigenous population:
    • Bolivia, Guatemala and Peru (between 40 and 70% of total population).
    • Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama (between 5 and 20%).
    • Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guyana, Paraguay, Venezuela and the Caribbean Islands (between 1 and 4%).
    • Brazil and Uruguay (less than 1%).
  • United States of America has an indigenous population of 1.6 million (<1%).
  • Canada has an indigenous population of 1.4 million (4%).
  • High concentration on rural areas, but strong trend of rural - urban migration.

GOALS OF REGIONAL FORUM

  1. Identify the contributions of the policies and actions of human resources for health byimproving access to health services for Indigenous peoples;
  2. Identifying strategies and interventions for health human resources to ensure that health services and especially health care front-line, through human intervention, reflecting the cultural diversity and based on the concept of intercultural.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

  1. Identify common problems and challenges of each country, the development of HumanResources for Health of Indigenous Peoples (RHSPI), from the perspective of both health systems and Indigenous Communities;
  2. Share experiences and innovative approaches in the development of policies, strategiesand interventions RHSPI broad.
  3. Analyze the practices and promising interventions that could be assessed RHSPI beadapted and replicated in other settings;
  4. Promote the development of a community of practice RHSPI in the Region of the Americas;
  5. Prepare a report / publication / policy document.

VISION

  • Culturally integrated health services professional hosting 'Western' and indigenous peopleunder one roof.
  • Reasonable access to quality health services and culturally appropriate.
  • A culture and management approaches that reflect and articulate cultural diversity.
  • Community participation in RHSPI.

PARTICIPANTS

Ministries of Health: Human Resources Departments and Units of Aboriginal Health
Educational Institutions
indigenous Organizations
others

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Ministry of Health Canada
Pan American Health Organization
Indigenous Fund
Inter-American Development Bank
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Panama

PLACE THE FORUM ADDRESS

El Panama Hotel
Via España 111, Eusebio A. Morales Street, P.O. Box 0816-06754 Panama, Republic of Panama