DOCTORS in the Cordilleras have begun to push for the integration of indigenous practices with western medicine.
Ibaloi Doctor Ryan Guinaran advocates to focus on health, youth mobilization, education, and history, culture and arts in indigenous cultural communities “We should integrate indigenous practices with the health programs that we provide to the community.
Guinaran is Executive Director of the Doctors for Indigenous Training and Education Networking and Governance (Diteng), a Benguet based involved in indigenous peoples health and advocacy, saying indigenous practices can be integrated in the government’s health programs to benefit more people, especially those in remote villages.
“Our healing rituals play a role in the healing process A’s psychosociocultural support, our indigenous values of collective action like ogbo, binaddang, adoyancan be capitalized on in resource-pooling for health cooperatives, disaster response, and referral systems. We have many more good resources from our culture,” Guinaran added.
Diteng is a group of medical doctors advocating behavioral change and inter-phase of culture and health aside from doing researches and documentation of cultural practices, espousing cultural sensitivity, and conduct seminars on their advocacy.
“The solutions to health problems in the future maybe taken from indigenous culture, thus, it’s vital that we do not forget these,” Guinaran said.
Guinaran said it is a cultural pride that some health practices had been proven effective and passed on to newer generations by their ancestors are still being used to this day.
“One example, our indigenous teas are herbal like the grass tea; our indigenous veggies are nutritious like the fern/pako; we have a lot of local resources like the guava, sambong, akapulko, etc. for common ailments,” Dr. Guinaran stated.
Awarded as one of the most outstanding citizen of Benguet province, he remains to be one of Benguet’s pride as he continues to espouse the importance of health initiatives critical future of the people of the province.
Guinaran finished a Master in Development Management degree at the Asian Institute of Management where he was a Zuellig Scholar and a Dean’s Lister and is currently a PhD Rural Development student at BSU.
He served as consultant, researcher and trainer for LGUs of North Luzon, the European Commission Technical Assistance on Health, the DOH, DSWD, the German Technical Cooperation, UP National Institutes of Health, Health Futures Foundation, UPecon Foundation, Health Policy Development Program, and the Zuelllig Family Foundation over the years and the founding Executive Director of DITENG- Doctors for Indigenous Health and Culturally Competent Training, Education, Networking and Governance which assists in local health system development.
He was also recently honored in The Outstanding Young Men and Women (TOYM) awards.