Author: Abrar Hossain
In Canada, medicine is governed by allopathic methods, which focuses on patients' biological and physiological impairments. While this serves greatly for any physical ailment, the traditional approach to healthcare does not consider mental health and spiritual recuperation (Allen et al., 2020). Indigenous healthcare is centered around spiritual well-being and psychosocial health; However, it is suppressed within the medical field here in Canada.
Mitigation efforts to combat racism towards Indigenous peoples has been implemented by the 2015 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Canada. The commission’s goal is to bring equity to the population of Canada amongst the First Nations, Mètis and Inuit community. However, they failed to address any health disparities and anti-racial motions within the healthcare field: Thus, removing their capabilities of applying their own medical knowledge in their patient-care practices (Allen et al., 2020). This resulted in various barriers forming for Indigenous patients and physicians. Proximal barriers consist of geographical access to care and lack of education which results in less usage of medical assistance (Nguyen et al., 2020). Intermediate barriers comprise of financial concerns; creating an inaccessibility due to income inequities (Nguyen et al., 2020). Distal barriers are acknowledged as racism and social exclusion: Limited indigenous participation in healthcare policy making and community health care committees may occur due to colonialism and racially motivated discouragement (Nguyen et al., 2020).
By 2020, indigenous-led healthcare services have been established. These teams of physicians consist of previous indigenous elders, healers and those with healing knowledge that can provide medical care. Traditional indigenous healing methods act as the basis of medical intervention, but the biomedical approach is still considered when necessary (Allen et al., 2020). According to the elder in charge of the Turtle Lodge Central house of Knowledge in Sagkeeng First Nation, Dr. David Courchene, various partnerships have been built amongst health care providers, administrators, elders, healers, knowledge keepers, political leaders and the community that is being served (Allen et al., 2020). Turtle Lodge, amongst various unique Indigenous healthcare services, show improved care to access, adherence to care plans and they demonstrate evident improved healthcare outcomes (Allen et al., 2020). The recurring theme of improvement in Indigenous health care comes from their importance of culture: Their medical interventions are closely tied to the holistic approach and must be informed by cultural and spiritual knowledge (Allen et al., 2020). Furthermore, 90% of Northwest Canadian physicians surveyed by researchers agreed that Indigenous methods for spiritual healing were necessary for improvement of psychosocial health. This statistic seemed to hold true for physicians within Ontario and British Columbia (Allen et al., 2020).
2015 Calls to Action of Truth and Reconciliation did not cover the health care rights of indigenous peoples by excluding the importance of spiritual interventions. However, as shown with the significant evidence of improvements in healthcare, Indigenous healing methods are important for their holistic approach which incorporates biomedical methods in patient care. As agreed upon by several professional healthcare individuals, including Dr. David Courchene of Sagkeeng First Nations, this method of medicine is important and should be considered within our traditional western allopathic approach.
References
Allen, L., Hatala, A., Ijaz, S., Courchene, E. D., & Bushie, E. B. (2020, March 2). Indigenous-led Health Care Partnerships in Canada. CMAJ. https://www.cmaj.ca/content/192/9/E208.short
Nguyen, N. H., Subhan, F. B., Williams, K., & Chan, C. B. (2020, April 26). Barriers and mitigating strategies to healthcare access in indigenous communities of Canada: A narrative review. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/8/2/112
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