A emergência da medicina tradicional indígena no campo das políticas públicas

Abstract

Trata o surgimento da medicina tradicional indígena como objeto de discurso no campo das políticas públicas de saúde indígena. Os sentidos que nesse campo informam a noção de medicina tradicional indígena são diversos e constantemente revisados e/ou criados em situações dialógicas concretas, o que lhes confere caráter emergente. Se os discursos oficiais usam o poder de nomear para conceituar as medicinas tradicionais, as falas indígenas remetem a saberes e a práticas de autoatenção inscritos em contextos locais particulares. As políticas públicas são apropriadas e indigenizadas pelos povos indígenas, adquirindo novos sentidos e influenciando a reorganização sociocultural do cuidado com a saúde.

Aspectos culturais e históricos na produção do cuidado em um serviço de atenção à saúde indígena

“…Centrality is at the heart of knowledge of the health professional, whose values are common to the system of meanings that permeate the political, social and cultural scenario of care, which is the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde-SUS). In turn, this system's operationalization is predominantly based on the biomedical model of health care 8,18 . Ethnocentric practices in health can be avoided through relativization, which is aligned with decentralized health approaches to disease that appreciate the diversity of values and types of health care.…”

“…This fact was favorable to local farmers, whose possessions were expanded with the invasion of indigenous lands 24 , whose real owners, with justification such as that of mestizos, were forgotten. Western nations, with the motto of colonization and development, historically subordinated indigenous people and still do it through asymmetrical power relations 8 . Statements of professionals reveal signs of ethnocentrism, represented by the denial of indigenous cultures.…”

“…In Brazil and other regions of the world, such as Canada and Africa, indigenous care methods are based on different values and rituals directly linked to nature and religion [4][5][6][7] . However, many of the indigenous health care services have a service rationale based on the biomedical approach to health issues, focusing on the biological body 8,9 . Non-indigenous and Amerindian health professionals who work in indigenous care facilities are faced with the indigenous cultural diversity in a social environment of the health service guided by a biomedical logic care 3,[6][7][8] .…”

“…However, many of the indigenous health care services have a service rationale based on the biomedical approach to health issues, focusing on the biological body 8,9 . Non-indigenous and Amerindian health professionals who work in indigenous care facilities are faced with the indigenous cultural diversity in a social environment of the health service guided by a biomedical logic care 3,[6][7][8] . In addition to these aspects, in health's work place, another key element in the type of care delivery is how the people involved in the care process perceive each other 9 .…”

“…Indigenous health attention is a borderline area that produces processes of intercultural communication and interaction that must be studied and understood, focusing on different perspectives 3,4 . This should be taken into account, since Brazil lacks systematic production on health issues that includes ethnic and racial aspects, particularly on indigenous people 3,4,8,10,11 . Given the aforesaid and in order to get closer to the practice of care provided to indigenous people in health services, we raise the following questions: how do we outline the guiding code of workers' performance in the social setting of indigenous health care?…”