Health in the Context of Oaxaca
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The state of Oaxaca is located in the southeast of the country of Mexico, it borders to its north the states of Puebla and Vera Cruz, and to its east Chiapas, and to the west Guerrero, and to its south, the Pacific Ocean. Oaxaca´s territory extends for 95,364 Km2, which is slightly over 4% of the national land. The states topography is dominated by a conjunction of mountain ranges which occupy approximately 90% of its territory. One of the characteristics of the population is that it is highly dispersed, scattered rural villages, due to the difficult topography of the State. The indigenous populations are distributed throughout the State, with the majority living in the rural sectors. There are sixteen different indigenous groupings as well as a contingent of Afro-Americans. Oaxaca is the most multi-cultural states in all of Mexico. Nevertheless, the indigenous population has the lowest levels of health, due to their vulnerability to illnesses associated with poverty. |
According to statistics in the year 2005 from the Secretaria de Salud de Oaxaca, the state has a population of 3, 716,205 inhabitants. 55% of the population is rural. Of the entire population, only 17.65% are recipients of social security health services ( IMSS,ISSSTE,PEMEX,SEDNA,MARINA) and 82.35% of the remaining balance receive medical assistance through the Secretaria de Salud de Oaxaca, and from IMSS Oportunidades.
Oaxaca has a high rate of foreign migration, and is listed as the third ranking state for migration (according to statistics in the year 2000 conducted by CONAPO).
The life expectancy of males is 70.6 years and for women 75.2 years which is lower than the national averages of 73.4 years for men and 77 years for women.
The State Plan for Sustainable Development 2004-2010 expresses the following problems in the health sector:
Within the state there is a predominance of respiratory illness, intestinal infections as
well as urinary tract infections, followed by problems associated with amebas and liver
abscess. The principle causes of death are heart disease, diabetes and malignant tumors.
The maternal death rate is .43 per 1000n live births, due to hemorrhages, toxemia
during pregnancy and miscarriage. Oaxaca is one of the three states in the country
which has high risks of death associated with pregnancy, delivery, post partum, as well
as deaths caused by uterine and breast cancer. In the indigenous regions the maternal
death rate is double the national average.
Among children under 5 years old, 40% are plagued with some level of malnutrition.
The health coverage for services is insufficient, given that the indigenous and rural
areas, in general , do not have medical personnel available 24 hours a day nor 365 days
a year. Often in these areas the medical infrastructure is inadequate, lacking equipment,
medical supplies, and emergency transportation.
On the other hand, the indigenous people of Oaxaca possess curative practices and traditional medicines to maintain communal health. The traditional medicine practitioners and parteras (midwives) have an incredible wealth of knowledge with reference to curative herbs and understanding of health through their indigenous Cosmo vision, which gives them more credibility and trust among the locals. Given that in the year 2001 the Local Congress approved State Health Laws to support traditional indigenous curative practices, there are many limitations which impede true development in regard to traditional medicine. |
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The majority of the population has limited economic resources, and no access to the existing social security health systems, and are forced to use the social assistance centers where, in general , the medicine and facilities are inadequate, the medical staff does not always deliver an acceptable service, and so people seek private attention, and hospitalization when necessary, even if it falls outside of their economic means.
Under the current political regime there is a strong push to privatize medical services in regards to high health risks associated with the marginalized population, which favors high specialization and fractionization of the human instead of an integral approach.
Among such an unequal political, economic, social and cultural divisions in society, especially in Oaxaca, La Clinica del Pueblo sprang into existence as a response in order to provide alternative, efficient and integral healthcare, with the poor , vulnerable and excluded in mind to improve the quality of life through health.
Clínica Hospital del Pueblo "Anna Seethaler" A.C.
Calle Independencia No. 109
San Martín Mexicapan C.P. 68140
Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca
México
Tel (951) 51 23752
clinicadelpueblo@prodigy.net.mx