Indigenous Peoples’ access to Health Services
In the present day, indigenous Africans rely on traditional medicine and practitioners as they have done for generations. Compared to western medicine practitioners, traditional medicine practitioners are more readily available, less expensive and more acceptable. It is estimated that in Malawi 80 per cent of the 12 million people make use of traditional medicine for their needs.47 In 2000, there were approximately 4500 traditional healers in Zimbabwe and only 1400 doctors.48 Generally, in sub-Saharan Africa the ratio of traditional healers to the population is 1:500, while doctors trained in western medicine it is 1:40,000.49 As indigenous peoples have always lived in harmony with their environment and learned the important plants which can be used as medicines, they resort to this method of healing before seeking treatment in orthodox medicine. For a long time there has been little effort to understand traditional medicine as it was considered to be shrouded in mystery. Some governments tried to suppress indigenous medicine, which then went underground and continued to thrive.50 Most African countries have the tolerant model of health system where western medicine is practiced but other forms are tolerated.51 The World Health Organization estimates that up to 80 per cent of people in the African region use traditional medicine and that the widespread use is due to its affordability.52 Moreover, it is popular because it is firmly embedded in the wider belief system. Traditional medicine is also said to be more effective in the treatment of psychic and psychosomatic conditions. This is because the healers have knowledge of the patient’s background while conserving African culture.53 Some African countries have made efforts to integrate traditional medicine into the health system. There are countries where traditional medicine practitioners have been registered and have associations. In South Africa, for instance, traditional healers are recognized and regulated by law.54 However, caution is required in advocating for blanket use of traditional medicine because further research is needed to ascertain the efficacy of certain medicinal plants and treatments used.
Effects of sedentarization on indigenous peoples The world is changing rapidly, and the lifestyles of indigenous peoples are also changing and will continue to change. This means that their previously active lifestyle and dietary habits will change. While indigenous peoples have a higher burden of infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases are also emerging. Living in settled areas with higher population densities predisposes them to infectious diseases. Increased population density in settled areas facilitates the transmission of density-dependent diseases such as malaria. At the same time, pathogenic organisms may be 47
Peltzer 1988, “The role of faith healers in primary mental health care: A South African perspective”, Curare:11.207-210).
48
UNAIDS (2000). Report of the Inter-regional Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights in the Context of Traditional Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand.
49
Richter, 2004, PEP for rape survivors in South Africa: Reflecting on the process to get to government policy: International Conference on AIDS.
50
Green, E.C., Engaging indigenous African healers in the prevention of AIDS and STDs in Anthropology in Public Health: Bridging differences in culture and society, Edited by Robert A Hahn, Oxford University Press Inc. New York 1999.
51
WHO 2002, Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002-2005; Anfom ,E.E 1986: Traditional Medicine in Ghana; J.B. Danquoh memorial lectures.
52
WHO 2002, Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002-2005.
53
Steinglass M., “It Takes a Village Healer - Anthropologists Believe Traditional Medicines Can Remedy Africa’s AIDS Crisis. Are They Right?” Lingua Franca April 2002, p. 32.
54
E/CN.4/2006/78/Add.2 of 15/12/05.
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