Doctors Without Borders sends teams to New Mexico to assist Native Americans
Doctors Without Borders has deployed two teams to New Mexico to assist Native American communities including the Pueblos and the Navajo Nation to combat the spread of COVID-19. Photo by Ron Cogswell/Flickr
May 12 (UPI) -- At least two teams with Doctors Without Borders have traveled to New Mexico to help Native American communities combat the spread of COVID-19.
Jean Stowell, who heads the COVID-19 response team for the group known in French as Medicins Sans Frontiers, told CNN one team arrived north of Albuquerque in early April to assist the Pueblos and another team arrived in Gallup later that month to work with the Navajo Nation.
Both teams are expected to remain in the state until June.
"At the moment, MSF is focusing on providing technical guidance to healthcare facilities and communities with infection prevention and control. We are also actively engaged with community leaders and other actors to increase access for communities to health promotion and practical education," said Stowell.
Governor of the Traditional O'odham Leaders Verlon Jose said funding from federal or state governments has "not been a reality."
"Not all Tribal Nations are receiving the necessary support that they need to address this pandemic. The grassroots-driven donations of supplies are crucial for communities like ours to mitigate the crisis and lack of federal and state assistance in this matter," Jose said.
Stowell added the organization has assisted in epidemics throughout the world to provide support to people "who have been excluded from health care and emergency response."
"Historically, the Navajo Nation has not received the same attention and resources as other communities in the U.S. and that has made it particularly difficult for them to respond to this unprecedented epidemic," said Stow
Doctors Without Borders sends team to Navajo Nation as coronavirus explodes in Native communities
May 11, 2020 By Matthew Chapman THE RAW STORY
On Monday, CBS News reported that Doctors Without Borders has dispatched a team to the Navajo Nation, as Native American communities see an explosion of COVID-19 cases.
“Doctors Without Borders is best known for sending medical professionals into international conflict zones in the midst of medical crises,” reported Christina Capatides. “The organization has teams in Afghanistan, Iran, Sierra Leone, Venezuela and 66 other countries. It did not, however, have a medical presence in the United States – until now.”
“Jean Stowell, head of the organization’s U.S. COVID-19 Response Team, told CBS News that Doctors Without Borders has dispatched a team of nine to the hard-hit Navajo Nation in the southwest United States because of the crisis unfolding there,” continued the report. “The team consists of two physicians, three nurse/midwives, a water sanitation specialist, two logisticians and a health promoter who specializes in community health education.”
A number of Native American communities are gravely threatened by COVID-19, due in part to limited access to medical resources. In recent weeks, as a safety precaution, the Cheyenne River Sioux and Oglala Lakota Sioux have set up road checkpoints — which Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) is now demanding they remove.
Doctors Without Borders has deployed two teams to New Mexico to assist Native American communities including the Pueblos and the Navajo Nation to combat the spread of COVID-19. Photo by Ron Cogswell/Flickr
May 12 (UPI) -- At least two teams with Doctors Without Borders have traveled to New Mexico to help Native American communities combat the spread of COVID-19.
Jean Stowell, who heads the COVID-19 response team for the group known in French as Medicins Sans Frontiers, told CNN one team arrived north of Albuquerque in early April to assist the Pueblos and another team arrived in Gallup later that month to work with the Navajo Nation.
Both teams are expected to remain in the state until June.
"At the moment, MSF is focusing on providing technical guidance to healthcare facilities and communities with infection prevention and control. We are also actively engaged with community leaders and other actors to increase access for communities to health promotion and practical education," said Stowell.
Governor of the Traditional O'odham Leaders Verlon Jose said funding from federal or state governments has "not been a reality."
"Not all Tribal Nations are receiving the necessary support that they need to address this pandemic. The grassroots-driven donations of supplies are crucial for communities like ours to mitigate the crisis and lack of federal and state assistance in this matter," Jose said.
Stowell added the organization has assisted in epidemics throughout the world to provide support to people "who have been excluded from health care and emergency response."
"Historically, the Navajo Nation has not received the same attention and resources as other communities in the U.S. and that has made it particularly difficult for them to respond to this unprecedented epidemic," said Stow
Doctors Without Borders sends team to Navajo Nation as coronavirus explodes in Native communities
May 11, 2020 By Matthew Chapman THE RAW STORY
On Monday, CBS News reported that Doctors Without Borders has dispatched a team to the Navajo Nation, as Native American communities see an explosion of COVID-19 cases.
“Doctors Without Borders is best known for sending medical professionals into international conflict zones in the midst of medical crises,” reported Christina Capatides. “The organization has teams in Afghanistan, Iran, Sierra Leone, Venezuela and 66 other countries. It did not, however, have a medical presence in the United States – until now.”
“Jean Stowell, head of the organization’s U.S. COVID-19 Response Team, told CBS News that Doctors Without Borders has dispatched a team of nine to the hard-hit Navajo Nation in the southwest United States because of the crisis unfolding there,” continued the report. “The team consists of two physicians, three nurse/midwives, a water sanitation specialist, two logisticians and a health promoter who specializes in community health education.”
A number of Native American communities are gravely threatened by COVID-19, due in part to limited access to medical resources. In recent weeks, as a safety precaution, the Cheyenne River Sioux and Oglala Lakota Sioux have set up road checkpoints — which Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) is now demanding they remove.
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