Indigenous populations in Chile have a disproportionately high chance of contracting COVID-19 (Millalen et al., 2020). For many indigenous Chileans, this is because their communities lack the same access to healthcare resources and information as non-indigenous Chileans. This is a result of years of government neglect. Chilean politicians refused to recognize indigenous peoples as citizens until 1972, with most groups receiving official government recognition later in 1993 (Ministerio de Planificación y Cooperación, 1993). But even with government recognition, indigenous groups have struggled to protect their land and their rights for years. Because of their systemic oppression and limited access to health resources, indigenous groups are at a disproportionate risk for several severe health conditions.

My project was founded on the basic question, does the Chilean government use its health communication programs to provide indigenous peoples with sufficient health information? To answer this question, I performed three virtual interviews to gain insight into the ministry of health, indigenous communication programs, and healthcare access. One interviewee worked as an indigenous program coordinator for the ministry of health. One interviewee lived in a rural community and relied on the ministry of health for medical support. The final interviewee ran an indigenous radio station in Arica.

These interviews produced three significant findings. The first key result was that though the Chilean government has created several indigenous health programs, the resources available lack the capacity to support rural indigenous communities. Arica y Parinacota has one primary CESFAM (Centro de Salud Familiar) outpost and several smaller clinics that are meant to serve indigenous and rural communities; however, none of them are equipped to handle emergency health situations, leaving the Arica hospital as the only urgent care provider in Arica y Parinacota. The region of Tarapacá has a more expansive indigenous health program stemming out of the Iquique SEREMI (Secretarías Regionales Ministeriales de Salud) health office. These programs focus on nutrition, mental health, and HIV prevention. Program coordinators utilize WhatsApp and Facebook to communicate with rural communities, though this method of communication depends on whether or not an area is connected to the internet. These programs focus on health prevention behaviors and do not, in the long run, help with emergency medical scenarios.

The second key takeaway from this research is the right for information. In Chile, indigenous groups are often the last to receive important news and health information. Mainstream media infrastructures like television programs and newspapers do not reach rural communities. Younger generations might have access to social media platforms but are limited by blackouts and issues with electricity. Older individuals might not speak Spanish, which is a significant barrier considering that most of the ministry of health’s announcements are exclusively in Spanish. When there is information produced for the specific purpose of reaching indigenous communities, it is sparse and only in one “dominant” language. In Arica, for example, the first piece of media about COVID-19 for indigenous peoples came out in May--even though the pandemic hit Chile in March. This video was only two minutes long and in Aymara. There was no information produced for Quechua or Mapuche speakers. For many indigenous individuals, it is evident that the Chilean government doesn’t want to recognize them as residents in need. This lack of communication has forced some community members to create their own media productions for information distribution. These programs provide indigenous communities with culturally-sensitive information, as well as act as preservation programs for indigenous cultures.

It is easy to gloss over the right to health information when we talk about healthcare accessibility. The focus is often on the availability of resources, taking for granted the fact that we at least have the information we need to understand what’s going on. Indigenous populations in Chile and around the world do not have that same luxury. It is evident from my research that the Chilean healthcare infrastructure does not respect the rights and needs of indigenous communities; they are an afterthought that the government only considers when everyone else has been helped. Even though there are now indigenous health programs scattered across the Ministry of Health outposts, many of these programs do not have the purpose or resources to help with severe medical emergencies. The Chilean government must stand up for its indigenous peoples now, before the effects of COVID-19 damage their livelihoods forever.

Image credits:

https://theconversation.com/how-chile-became-an-unlikely-winner-in-the-covid-19-vaccine-race-154614

https://sites.google.com/site/regionxvdearicayparinacota/division-politica-administrativa

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g1005748-Putre_Arica_and_Parinacota_Region-Vacations.html