"This is a mitigation effort made for indigenous peoples. The goal is to provide a comprehensive picture and map the pandemic's impact," director of traditional beliefs and indigenous peoples affairs at the ministry, Sjamsul Hadi, informed here on Tuesday.
Indigenous people often have limited access to modern health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and health centers, and also face pressures from ecological changes, land conflicts, and the risk of losing their primary resources, he pointed out.
The lack of availability of basic health facilities, widespread pandemic-related disinformation, and unequal vaccine distribution has increased the vulnerability of indigenous people, he said.
However, indigenous people have their own defense systems that they have inherited through local knowledge and practices, which have proved directly or indirectly useful to them in dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.
"This report documented some practices of isolation, keeping distance, and regional quarantine that are sourced from indigenous peoples' knowledge," Hadi informed.
Meanwhile, the awareness of each diverse local background is important for building a strategy for mitigating the pandemic's impact, director general of culture at the ministry, Hilmar Farid, said.
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COVID-19 handling that is based on the special characteristics of indigenous people will encourage a more equitable resolution, especially for indigenous people who were vulnerable even before the pandemic, he explained.
"While isolated indigenous communities that already have strong internal handling system should not be disrupted by outsiders that can damage their natural (instinct) of defense," he added.
Finally, the report recommends more systematic and periodic mapping to document the condition of indigenous people, he said adding, the pandemic has provided lessons on the importance of accurate and on-time data for better measures as different indigenous groups have different needs.
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Translator: Indriani, Kenzu T
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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