Health of Indigenous People: How climate change puts them at risk

As a global health enthusiast, one of my areas of research is focused on vulnerable groups of population, grappling with health inequalities. Over the years, I have learned that data and research is one way we can grab the attention of the world's neglected population, and also a way of advocating for them.

Two months ago, my team and I decided to publish a paper on the Indigenous people living in Brazil. As we were reading about their health concerns, we came up with perilous conditions in regards to their health amid the pandemic. After extensive research, we published our paper in The Nature, one of the world’s top journals.

The Nature paper motivated me to continue advocating for indigenous people. I recently read about climate change impacts on these people and realized how vulnerable these people are to climate impacts. Therefore, I decided to raise my voice again for these people that need urgent attention from the world’s leaders.

Climate change is an undeniable, human-made disaster of our generation, disproportionately impacting the lives of millions of people across the planet. The impacts climate change causes not only affect humans but also the ecosystem as well such as glacier erosion, wildfires, droughts, etc. 

3 reasons why climate change is putting indigenous people at risk

Of the many species that are fragile to the climate change impacts, one is Indigenous people. Living in different parts of the world (Jungles, mountains), Indigenous people continue their lives in synchrony with nature.

From the early days, they had adopted a life dependent on nature in such a sustainable way that any man-made variation in climate patterns threatens their lives, and ultimately extinction.

To this day, Indigenous people are at risk of many hazards, including climate change. In this blog, I will delve into the reasons why Indigenous people are vulnerable to climate change impacts, and what should be done to ensure their safety in this rapidly advancing world.

1. Indigenous people are losing their habitats

The loss of habitats is a major challenge for indigenous people to maintain the safety of their dynasty. Destruction of habitats due to climate change poses significant challenges, as it impacts the health, nutrition, and ultimately extinction in their generation. Sadly, climate change impacts have already caused significant disruption to their habitats, and continue to disrupt.

For instance, native Alaskans living near the shores have been impacted by climate change effects. Their provision on fishing has become scarce. When there is a lack of food, it affects nutrition and health, such as malnutrition. When all of these occur, force displacement takes place. 

Indigenous people live a sustainable life in the world in harmony with nature. The loss of sustainability due to climate change is detrimental to the world, as  its impacts precipitate the whole world. For indigenous people the impact is more threatening as these people do not have stable lives. 

2. Indigenous people are subject to less healthcare coverage

When I was drafting my Nature paper, I came across that not all indigenous people are included in the health programs of Brazil. Many indigenous people were left out of COVID-19 vaccination, as they did not have access to the country's unified health system. 

This shows lack of attention in regards to their health issues. Several health issues arise from the impacts of climate change such as Dengue, Zika, and Yellow fever viruses. These Infectious diseases emerge due to bad climate conditions. These diseases are lethal and can cause serious health problems.

There is a bulk of evidence that these diseases have impacted indigenous people and even taken lives. Moreover, changes in the menstrual cycles of indigenous girls have also been linked to the changes in climate. 

3. Displacement is causing loss of cultural heritage

In search of new habitats, indigenous people are forced to abandon everything behind, including their unique social behaviors. When forced displacement occurs due to climate change impacts, these people shift their places. 

This brings cumulative impacts on their lifestyle, including health and social behaviors. Forced displacement significantly impacts health. Health implications such as depression and anxiety devastate the mental health of these indigenous people. Moreover, the gradual loss of social behaviors due to displacement is worrying, until time comes when they are no longer called indigenous.  

This is very concerning given that the world is quite modernized and rapidly evolving. Thus, working towards preserving the unique characteristics of these people should come as a top priority for us. There are pictures that show these people have become modernized, and lost their instinctive behaviors.

Conclusion

Having published on Indigenous people made me realize how vulnerable their health concerns are. I made a moral decision to continue highlighting their health problems. Climate change is yet another main concern that negatively impacts the health of indigenous people. 

It is an undeniable fact of our generation, causing big troubles to the world. Indigenous people are at the center of such risks. What we observe now is the tip of the problems these people are suffering from. 

More research and data are needed to highlight the devastating impacts of climate change on Indigenous people. For us to fulfill our moral responsibility, we need to advocate for their health and safety.