Non-Eurocentric Ethics and Indigenous Peoples of North America

New Mexico Indian Affairs Department (8 April 2020), Tribal Response Plan Covid-19 State of New Mexico
This COVID-19 response plan was developed in consultation with Indigenous leaders and speaks to values specific to the Indigenous peoples of New Mexico. The authors believe it is the first plan by any state to do so in a comprehensive manner. The plan is not meant to dictate to communities instead it is intended to offer culturally relevant guidance while respecting the sovereignty of the individual communities.

Emilee Gilpin (n.d.) “COVID-19 crisis tells world what Indigenous Peoples have been saying for thousands of years,” National Observer
Many Indigenous groups have long said that if we do not protect biodiversity and nature we will face increasing threats. Gilpin argues that science has finally caught-up with Indigenous knowledges and now affirms this position.

Adam Cancryn (28 March 2020) “Where Coronavirus Could Find Refuge: Native American Reservations,” Politico
Cancryn describes lapses in American federal policy with respect to Indigenous health. The Indian Health Service (IHS) relies on Indigenous communities to perform their own tests, and to track, trace, and report cases of COVID-19 to the federal government. Decades of underfunding have left the IHS unequipped to deal with a health emergency on this scale.

Thaddeus Metz (8 June 2020) “What does an African ethic of social cohesion entail for social distancing?” Developing World Bioethics
Metz describes the most prominent strain of African ethics as relational and cohesive, “roughly demanding that we enter into community with each other.” Metz notes a tension between an ethic of cohesion and social distancing. He provides an analysis of social distancing from the perspective of an ethic of cohesion.

Agnes Binagwaho (20 November 2020), “What explains Africa’s successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic?,” Medical News Today
In 2019, the global Health Security Index rated the USA as the most prepared country to face a possible future pandemic. In contrast, many countries on the African Continent were rated as the least prepared. This is not how things turned out during the COVID-19 pandemic, as African countries had only 3.6% of the world’s COVID-19 infections and deaths. This article examines the successes of the response from many African countries to the pandemic.

Muhammed O. Afolabi, et al. (2020), “Lessons from the Ebola epidemics and their applications for COVID‐19 pandemic response in sub‐Saharan Africa,” Developing World Bioethics, 21(1)
This article describes how African countries learned lessons from Ebola outbreaks that they were able to apply to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kelik Wardiono, et al. (12 November 2021), “Philosophy, Law, and ethics of Handling COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia,” Macedonian Journal of Medical Science, 9(E)
Wardiono et al. describe the legal and moral underpinnings of Indonesia’s response to COVID-19. Indonesian approaches tend to stress the protection of all Indonesians, and put a premium on public safety.