Elsevier

EXPLORE

Volume 4, Issue 2, March 2008, Pages 120-126
EXPLORE

Clinical article
Original paper
African Concepts of Health, Disease, and Treatment: An Ethical Inquiry

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2007.12.001Get rights and content

This paper is based on the author’s fieldwork experience in Edo State, Nigeria. The purpose of the article is to present and discuss African concepts of health, disease, and treatment within the framework of African Traditional Medicine (ATM). The two-fold notion of disease and treatment within the African context is also addressed. The significance of rituals and sacrifices in ATM are explained, and the interactions between ATM, African metaphysics, and cosmology are highlighted. The rules and moral precepts tenable in the practice of ATM are analyzed and discussed. The methodology employed in this study was the interviewing of African traditional healers.

Introduction

Health has been defined by Boorse1 as “ … when all organs and tissues, as well as mental faculties function in accordance with design by which the organisms of the species in question maintain and renew their life,” whereas disease is defined as that which impairs the normal function of the body organs. The above definitions fit well with Western perspectives of what constitutes health and disease, but such definitions are radically different from what constitutes the African notion of health and disease. This is because African concepts of health and disease are imbedded in the African world view. According to Dime,2(p28)

The African view of reality emphasizes the structural kinship between man and nature, and man and the spirit world. To Africans, the whole multiplicity of things which comprise the universe are mystically one and therefore constitute only one thing, one reality; everything is a part of the other that makes up reality, the total cosmos or universe.

Thus, it is probably only within the framework of African world view and African metaphysics that appropriate and accurate African concepts of health, disease, and indeed treatment, can be derived and understood.

Section snippets

Methodology

It was necessary to undertake fieldwork in the course of this study. The methodology employed was to develop a set of questions, which were put to African traditional healers. Some of those questions were: What is divination? What is the role of divination in African Traditional Medicine (ATM)? What are the virtues of a good medicine man/woman? How are medicine men compensated for their services and how are pecuniary benefits handled? What differentiates a good medicine man from a bad medicine

Health

The African concept of health is embracing; in other words, it cannot be taken in isolation. For the traditional African, health is not just about the proper functioning of bodily organs. Good health for the African consists of mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional stability for oneself, family members, and community; this integrated view of health is based on the African unitary view of reality. Good health for the African is not a subjective affair.

Good health is usually understood in

Concept of Treatment

The African concept of treatment is comprehensive and holistic. The diviner/healer treats the body, soul, and spirit. He achieves this by unraveling the physical and spiritual causes of an ailment. Treatment could be the use of herbs, sacrifices, divination, and incantations.

Incantations accompany the use of herbs to ward off evil forces and engage in communication with the plant. Since evil forces can destroy the efficacy of a plant, it is thus necessary for the medicine man to be in constant

Analysis

As mentioned at the beginning of this paper, African concepts of health, disease, and treatment are best understood within the framework of African metaphysics, ethics, and cosmology. Hence, the African notion of health and treatment cannot be evaluated by a Western medical paradigm. The use of a Western paradigm for this purpose will inevitably result in ideological, epistemic, and perhaps ethical conflicts. However, Westerners who have lived in Africa and among Africans for many years, after

Ewossan Experience

Ewossan is a village in Edo State of Nigeria. I was first at Ewossan in January 2004, where I met with traditional healer Moses Agbogidi Eghedosa, who was born in 1929. James Ailuegiomen (an elder in that community) introduced me to Eghedosa. Eghedosa was quite hospitable and allowed me to spend the night in his house. I went back to Ewossan in February 2004, and this time I spent three days with Eghedosa, where he discussed the general nature of ATM with me.

Eghedosa explained that he uses the

Evboriaria Experience

Evboriaria is a village at the outskirt of Benin City in Edo State of Nigeria. Evboriaria is on the way to Sapele, a town in Delta State of Nigeria. At Evboriaria, I met with Chief Dada Chukwemaka Albino, a traditional doctor who was born with dreadlocks, which he does not cut. I first met with Albino on the February 20, 2004. I was once again at Albino’s residence on March 9, 2004.

Asked how he practices ATM, he explained that he uses four modes of divination: (1) Igba-ba, (2) Ughegbe, (3) Odibo

Conclusion

What makes African traditional healthcare peculiar is its two-fold notion of disease and its link to religion, divination, and sacrifices. According to Iwu,4 the art of African traditional healing is linked to African traditional religion. However, it would be difficult for non-Africans to appreciate African concepts of health, disease, and treatment (medicine) because those concepts are closely knitted to African metaphysics, especially as they pertain to the rules of atonement, ancestral

Acknowledgment

I wish to thank Dr Hans-Martin Sass for his suggestions and Professor Mary Fenton for her comments and encouragement. I also wish to thank James Ailuegiomen, an elder in Ewossan village, for his assistance.

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There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

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