Book Summary of Eirik Saethres Illness Is a Weapon

Introduction

Eirik Saethre believes that the illnesses of people can become their weapons. The author sees the rejection of medical advice as a manifestation of a disenfranchised peoples identity. The inhabitants of Lajamanu, a former Australian Aboriginal settlement, face chronic illnesses. Their town is a place where they experience oppression, poverty, and constant discomfort. According to Saethre (2013), Warlpiri insubordination is a manifestation by the people of their ethnic autonomy. The locals are not ready to accept the demands and advice of the health system representatives, considering that they infringe on the fundamental rights and freedoms of the indigenous population. The author focuses on the clinical exchanges, which have rarely been the subject of study in the Australian literature (Saethre 2013). Social determinacy is presented in both macro and micro terms in the book. The authors conclusions may complement previous research on the state of health care in Australia.

Prejudice and Religious Beliefs as a Reason for Refusing Medical Care

The author draws attention to the fact that Aboriginal gender perceptions explain the Warlpiris estrangement from the clinic. In particular, the most important factor is that health workers are predominantly women, while Saethre interacted mostly with men. He also notes that there are certain prejudices about AHWs; in particular, there is a perception that they are not qualified to provide medical care (Saethre 2013, 128). Warlpiris religious beliefs also determine why they do not want to visit the clinic. Moreover, healthcare workers are largely perceived by them as aliens. However, the author cautions readers against assuming that the actions of the indigenous population are entirely determined by their spiritual beliefs. The Warlpiri are open to adopting food, cultural, and social traditions; they regularly buy food from take-out stores and cafes. However, it should be considered that perhaps the high cost of food is why modern Australian Aborigines consume fast food or take-out meals, which are usually cheaper and of poor quality.

Near the Torres Strait Islanders, type 2 diabetes is particularly prevalent among the indigenous population, leading to a high rate of chronic kidney disease. This disease begins to develop at an earlier age in Aboriginal people than in other Australians. However, according to Saethre (2013), the key problem is that seeking medical help is not the rule. Rather, the indigenous population would self-medicate with various herbs or not be treated at all.

Furthermore, type 2 diabetes is twice as likely to occur among aboriginal women after pregnancy and childbirth. The author believes that there is a correlation between Aboriginal cultural attitudes and their willingness, or rather reluctance, to go to a clinic for therapeutic purposes (Saethre 2013). It is important to note that the prevalence of diseases is also directly related to the marginalization of the indigenous population. The prejudice against non-white Australians and the disregard for the specificities of Australian Aboriginal life and culture are still relevant. The depersonalization of a patient is not always the result of immoral attitudes because sometimes it can be explained as a consequence of the technologization of modern medical practice. However, in a situation where this tendency begins to resemble deliberate discrimination, preventing it is necessary.

Traditional Aboriginal Healing Ways and Attitudes toward Illnesses

In Aboriginal understanding, the world of human events with its inevitable accidents, injuries, diseases, and premature death is shaped by magical rites. Saethre writes (2013) that such events are not considered natural or spontaneous but are attributed to the action of witchcraft. As a consequence, attempts are made to identify and punish the sorcerer. In some cases, an experienced expert of magical rites must cure the sick by removing a bone or other harmful object that caused the disease. If the sufferer died, he would conduct a search to determine the group or person responsible for it and often find a solution acceptable to the group. In addition to practitioners of magical rituals, Aboriginal people treat illnesses with traditional Aboriginal remedies made from natural substances. All this shows how strongly religious attitudes influence the chosen methods of treatment. Saethres idea is that for Aboriginal people to go to a clinic would mean betraying ones own identity and abandoning or partially abandoning the history of ones people.

Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders have several health problems and regularly face economic deprivation. Because of the disadvantages mentioned above, Australian Aboriginal communities have higher suicide rates than non-indigenous communities. Limited access to education and health care is one of the causes of health problems among Aboriginal people. Saethre mentions (2013) that the local population is convinced that treatment is not culturally sensitive. This is part of the reason why refusals to receive health care are so common, the meaning of which is a protest against the system as a whole. This lack of attention shows disrespect and disregard for needs, which locals cannot tolerate.

Today, the barbarism toward the Aboriginal people is gone for good. On the contrary, the Australian government supports them in every way possible. Their traditions and beliefs are treated with respect, and their civil rights are respected. Indigenous lands sacred to Australians may be visited only with the permission of the local communities. However, a significant proportion of Indigenous Australians still live below the poverty line and make ends meet only through charity. The way of life of many Aboriginal people does not correspond to the rules and norms accepted in society. Unfortunately, many of them die of alcoholism and drug addiction. While previous problems have been successfully prevented, new ones are emerging, such as a situation in which Indigenous Australians potentially have access to treatment, but such treatment does not consider the specific characteristics of the Indigenous community.

Lack of Cultural Sensitivity and the Current Pandemic

The lack of resources for medical care for victims of emergencies is one of the most challenging ethical issues. An additional factor influencing the organization of emergency medical interventions is individuals religious, social, and national beliefs. Indeed, the shaping of patients consciousness is greatly influenced by their environment. As Saethre notes (2013), medical care waiver is both a refusal to disobey and a rejection to be vulnerable. Preserving the health and life of the sick or injured person cannot be separated from adherence to the principles of individual freedom, and thus to the principle of respect for the individuals beliefs. Saethres idea is that without cultural knowledge, it is impossible to provide competent medical care in a country like Australia and humanitarian and medical care in other parts of the world (2013). Taking culture non seriously means that members of one community put their values above those of other groups, which is unacceptable.

Indigenous peoples around the world tend to suffer more from infections, especially new and understudied ones. Indigenous people in Australia are particularly vulnerable because they live far from professional medical care. As Saethre writes (2013), they have fewer hospitals, fewer doctors, fewer ventilators everything they need to cope with illness. They were already on the brink of survival because of declining forests, fires, industrial and agricultural development, and climate change. Now, the pandemic has created another crisis, and with each passing day, the danger of their extinction grows. Certainly, when Saethre wrote his book, he could not have anticipated the emergence and widespread of the coronavirus, but his research and the findings he discovered are the basis for the current state of Aboriginal health. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, the well-being of the indigenous population becomes much more vulnerable, and then finding ways to ensure access to medicine for this population is necessary.

Conclusion

Thus, the author concludes that expectations about the effectiveness of going to a clinic in a remote location such as Lajamanu should be lowered. At this point, certain government programs can have a positive impact on indigenous health. However, one cannot expect the problem to be resolved soon, especially without taking into account the cultural context. Indeed, in the refusal of treatment by locals and their prejudice against medical staff, it is evident in their reluctance to assimilate to the white Australian population. Lower levels of medical education, higher unemployment rates, and lack of access to infrastructure are reasons why health problems are a more urgent problem among indigenous people. All of this makes it important to build the social skills of Indigenous people and other Australians to live together despite differences. It is why recognizing the right to be different and respecting the racial, cultural, religious, and other characteristics are essential.