Doctors to help nomadic Colombian Indians

BOGOTA, Colombia, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- A Colombian medical team will begin a three-month expedition this weekend to help the last nomadic Indian tribe in Colombia avoid extinction.

The Spanish language news service EFE said fewer than 500 members of the Nukak Maku tribe have survived in Colombia's southeastern jungle since their first contact with outsiders 15 years ago.

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EFE reported in 1988, when they were "discovered," there were approximately 1,200 Nukak. But the contact with outsiders produced devastating illnesses, most notably influenza and diarrhea, which killed many.

The expedition's scientific director, Dr. Jorge Humberto Devia, told EFE the Nukak Maku also suffer from malaria, intestinal parasites and skin problems.

Devia said the first part of the mission's offensive is to provide education and prevention, as well as treatment. They will give tribal leaders a suitcase with medicines to cure the most common illnesses.

Devia said training and delivery of medicines will take three months, then the project will enter its supervision and replenishment phase.