Private healthcare is also an option for residents here. They are a fraction of what US prices would be, but still, relatively expensive with the average annual income being $6000-7000.
Another aspect of healthcare and medical practices here in Ecuador, are the indigenous and non-Western approaches to medicine. The indigenous populations have an incredibly strong presence in communities across Ecuador. The largest groups are the Kichwa populations of the Andes mountains, and the Shuar and Ashuar populations of the Amazon jungle. On a recent visit to Quito, I paid $10 to get a spiritual cleaning done by a traditional healer or “Curadora.” They are commonly found in the large market spaces.
There are different types of spiritual cleanings but the one I received included having different areas of my spirit and life evaluated. For example, I was told my physical health was good, but there was something blocking my love life. The Curadora then proceeded to smack and rub my entire body down with a bundled assortment of herbs and stinging nettle. She then swished a pungent liquid around in her mouth before spraying me down. I broke down in hives afterwards, but they say that means it was very effective and evil things are indeed leaving your spirit.
My first impression of how Western and traditional medicine have been intertwined was on the first day I moved in with my host family in Quito. My mom owns a restaurant and has two daughters. Her younger daughter is studying medicine. On that first day, she had been having dental pain and had just come back from an appointment. She had a prescription in hand, but it was decided that she should also get an egg cleansing done as well.
