Indigenous knowledge, community resilience, and health emergency preparedness
Carol Zavaleta-Cortijo, James D. Ford, Eranga K. Galappaththi, Didacus B. Namanya, Nosipho Nkwinti, Bhavya George, Cecil Togarepi, Francis Awaafo Akugre, Ingrid Arotoma‐Rojas, Kerrie Pickering, Chrishma D. Perera, Indunil P. Dharmasiri, Victoria Chicmana-Zapata, Joana Bezerra, Richard Nuwagira, Olivia Nakwafila, Hans Justus Amukugo, Martha Hangula, Jyotsna Krishnakumar, Ketty Marcelo, J. Jaime Miranda, Anita Varghese, Asish Mangalasseri, Bianca van Bavel, Keith Hyams, Mark New, Harpreet Kaur, Adelina Mensah, Sherilee L. Harper, Tristan Pearce, Yon Fernandez-de-Larrinoa
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and the climate change emergency are among the greatest socioenvironmental crises of our time. These crises have exacerbated health inequalities,1 revealing substantial weaknesses in health systems and community preparedness.2 Indigenous peoples globally face some of the greatest risks associated with pandemics and global environmental changes. In the past 3 years (since Nov 16, 2020), we have collaborated with Indigenous communities as part of the COVID Observatories Project, to document their lived experiences, perceptions, and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of climatic stresses.