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Integrating Traditional Healers into the Health Care System: Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Northern Ghana
- Source :
- Journal of Community Health, Journal of Community Health, 43(1), 157. Springer Netherlands
- Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- Traditional medicine is widespread in Ghana, with 80% of Ghanaians relying on its methods for primary health care. This paper argues that integrating traditional and biomedical health systems expands the reach and improves outcomes of community health care. Moving beyond literature, it stresses the importance of trust-relationships between healers and biomedical staff. Insights are based on qualitative research conducted in Ghana’s Northern Region (2013–2014). Five challenges to integration emerged out of the data: a lack of understanding of traditional medicine, discrimination, high turnover of biomedical staff, declining interest in healing as a profession, and equipment scarcity. Besides challenges, opportunities for integration exist, including the extensive infrastructure of traditional medicine, openness to collaboration, and grassroots initiatives. Contemplating challenges and opportunities this paper provides recommendations for integration, including: identify/select healers, promote best practices, institute appropriate forms of appreciation/recognition of healers, provide aid and equipment, use communication campaigns to promote integration and steer attitudinal change towards healers among biomedical staff. Most crucial, we argue successful implementation of these recommendations depends on a concerted investment in relationships between healers and biomedical staff.
- Subjects :
- Male
Rural Population
medicine.medical_specialty
Health (social science)
media_common.quotation_subject
Best practice
Alternative medicine
Integration
Ghana
Health(social science)
Scarcity
03 medical and health sciences
Grassroots
0302 clinical medicine
Nursing
Health care
Openness to experience
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
media_common
Original Paper
business.industry
Delivery of Health Care, Integrated
030503 health policy & services
Environmental and Occupational Health
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Traditional medicine
Public relations
Rural health care
Female
Public Health
Medicine, Traditional
0305 other medical science
business
Qualitative research
Healthcare system
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00945145
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Community Health, Journal of Community Health, 43(1), 157. Springer Netherlands
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....0d4e00533bf962f2245e7f2f2087aeec