Health, Inequality, Assimilation and Globalization

From the reading, “Introduction: Death in the Delta” and “Culture Equals Cholera,” Charles Briggs and Clara Mantini-Briggs illustrates the biological and cultural constructs of differences that help to shape the awareness of health, inequality, assimilation and globalization.  My first impression of the reading was rather astounding because I questioned how such a preventable and treatable disease have claimed the lives of so many people when we are so medically and biologically advanced in areas of epidemiology. 

As I continued reading, I was brought aback to “The Spirit Catches You,” when the author mentioned vernacular healers.  It appears that culturally, disease prevention and cure has a more primitive approach that is frequently undermined and looked at as being the cause of deaths that would have been prevented if the use of institutional medicine were enforced.  Once again we see the parallel of Shamanism vs. Medicine, where the latter appears to be the right choice or ultimate choice in receiving care when faced with the dilemma of an outbreak or epidemic.  Lia’s parents would be seen as disillusioned to believe that their shamanistic approach would cure their daughter’s condition.   Meanwhile the doctors showed much resilience to incorporate culture and medicine which would have allowed them to achieve a far better outcome, considering that the medical treatment have worsened the symptoms of her illness. 

Lia’s parents also believed that her soul was held captive by the “dabs” while the Venezuelans also believed that the cholera outbreak is a spell by criollo sorcery.  In both instances, we see the inadequate understanding of illnesses and diseases due to beliefs in the spirit.   On the other hand, awareness of the physical environment that is home to micro organisms such as bacteria that can be fatal and threaten the lives of many if infected and not treated correctly would decrease levels of death. 

It was also intriguing that Briggs showed how economic globalization and racism have impacted the spread of cholera among the people of the Delta.  Globalization have gave way to social inequality in that there is always an increasing gap between the “have and have nots.”  He further explained that the epidemic has exposed “the fate of poor populations” in that this whole ordeal took place during a time of “progress” and “modernity.”  There was a revolution going on while these improvished people seemed to be forgotten by the world.

Racism also played a key role in the dilemma in that the distribution of resources, health care and treatment facilities was in relation to the spatial composition of each ethnic group.  There was a great divide and according to Briggs, “when germs and race mix, however inadvertently, the result is often fatal.”  As a result, institutional medicine emerged with the use of antibiotics to control and cure the epidemic.  Not only was social inequality depicted in medical treatment but it was also portrayed in poor representation of race and class.  Since the infected were mostly the indigenas, it seem that it was no surprise that the outbreak attacked this inferior group because they were referred to as nomadic, illiterate, unsanitary individuals which made them more vulnerable to diseases.

However, after the devastating effects of the cholera outbreak and everyone were healed, the clinics were no longer in place to help the delta residents.  “When they wanted to save or lives, they did” “Now they want us to die” are both statements by a delta resident which gave the impression that the outbreak was no coincidence.  One is also led to question whether or not the epidemic was a natural outbreak, or an intentional and deliberate act.

Consequently, we are reminded of the devastating uproar of the Swine Flu outbreak in Mexico recently.  However, the only difference was the spatial aspects of each outbreak where the cholera was secluded to Venezuela while Swine Flu became a global phenomenon.  We also see the United States providing aid to Mexico and made efforts in distributing vaccines to cure this dilemma thus depicting the push and powers of institutional medicine.  Likewise, the people of the Delta were obliged to turn away from their holistic healing methods and resort to medicine due to its efficacy.  Furthermore, Cristobal Bayeh expressed his concern of this endeavor to be a “major step forward in the process of assimilation.”