Window Rock, Arizona.-Within the context of the enduring Window Rock arch, the president of the Navajo nation, Buu Nygren, sat in a sandstone cliff with the Secretary of Well being and Human Providers of the US, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the delegate of the Germaine Simonson Council to debate important issues of entry to well being that the individuals face the individuals of Navajo rooted in sovereign and custom and self-relation.
Secretary Kennedy, on a nationwide tour, made a big cease within the Navajo nation to fulfill with tribal leaders, together with President Nygren, First Woman Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren, President Crystalyne Curley, members of the 25th Navajo Nation Council and officers of the Division of Well being of Navajo. The aim of the go to was to raised perceive how Navajo applications are maximizing federal assets to serve hundreds of navajo individuals all through the nation.
“I do know you are not oblivious to Navajo,” Nygren instructed Kennedy. “Together with your help and assist, we’ll construct the Indian Medical Middle Gallup as a result of it’s in such a necessity. It’ll develop the place we don’t have to go to Albuquerque or Phoenix and our individuals could have a world class set up.”
The go to was deeply private for Kennedy, who final set foot within the Navajo nation 60 years in the past together with his father. His return started with a stroll for daybreak with tribal leaders from the bottom of the tribal capital to Window Rock. They had been discovered with sacred prayer, conventional songs by a drug healer and ceremonial dances made by Dinetah dancers within the Navajo Veterans Memorial Park.
Nygren supplied a further context on pressing well being disparities within the nation and the stress brought on by the vacancies fee of 30 p.c of the Indian well being service.
“As president, I need to emphasize the significance of defending and sustaining tribal sovereignty between meals and medical look after the Navajo nation,” stated Nygren.
Kennedy expressed sturdy help, making a transparent dedication to handle the shortage of personnel and cuts within the well being service of India.
“When lifting the IHS hiring freezing and terminating the lots of of worker terminations,” Secretary Kennedy stated “it is not going to occur.”
Kennedy emphasised that the federal authorities should go additional to empower native communities.
“Immediately we discovered many issues that HHS could possibly be doing to enhance the situation of Navajo’s well being …” he stated, including that making certain water will permit the individuals of Navajo to construct homes and grow to be self -sufficient once more.
A focus of Kennedy’s go to was the pioneer of the junk meals tax of the Navajo nation, formally often known as Diné Wholesome’s Nation Legislation. Confirmed in 2014 by means of the bottom mobilization by the Diné Neighborhood Protection Alliance, the Legislation promotes wholesome existence and combats the rising diabetes and weight problems charges.
India’s well being service informs that one in 5 residents of the Navajo nation lives with diabetes, and roughly 75,000 persons are prediabetic.
The earnings of the junk meals tax has been redirected to help neighborhood welfare tasks by means of the Navajo Neighborhood Growth Division, in line with the Workplace of the Navajo Tax Fee.
Nygren additionally emphasised the necessity for formal tribal consultations to make sure that the arrogance and obligations of the treaty are maintained, particularly as a result of current adjustments on the federal degree have affected social providers.
“We try to stay for 102 years as Navajo individuals, and likewise with their assist and assist, we hope to revive and shield among the providers supplied by his division,” Nygren instructed Kennedy.
In his remaining feedback, Nygren urged Kennedy to proceed his protection, not just for the Navajo individuals, however for all the Indian nation: the Navajo nation is able to lead, not solely within the promotion of more healthy life and existence of life and properly -being, however within the configuration of a future that honors our sovereign, strengthens our economic system and obtains our place within the international provide chain. “
Nygren added: “The go to of Secretary Kennedy Immediately exhibits that our voices are being heard on the highest ranges. We’re not asking for charity, we’re reaffirming the heritage and we’re constructing options based mostly on sovereignty and self -sufficiency. From the workers of our clinics to the development of the brand new Indian Medical Middle Gallup, the Navajo nation is able to lead.”