Health Care in the Global South Essay -- traditional medicine

Health care and usage in the global south has always been a phenomenon of interest to both researchers and policy makers alike. This keen interest is embedded in the special demographic characteristics of this part of the world coupled with poverty and underdevelopment. This region has more than 50% (5.8 billion) of the world’s 7 billion population and a natural population growth rate of over 2% (Population Reference Bureau 2013); coupled with this huge demographic character is high rate of poverty, conflict, famine and high prevalence of infectious and communicable diseases. Compound to this plight, is a weak and bad biomedical health system which barely serve just about 20-30% of its population (Neumann and Lauro 1982). However, a phenomenon of interest in this health catastrophe is the traditional medicine system and its wide usage by the population in many countries in the south. The diversity of traditional medicine and its integration with the culture and beliefs of many societies in the south has encouraged studies and research over the years. The aim of these studies have been to understand the nature of traditional medicine and its ability to succeed where biomedicine has failed – access and usage; it is estimated that up to 80% of the population in the global south depends on Traditional medicine to meet their care needs (WHO 2002) With the colonization of many countries in the global south, came western lifestyle and social institutions. These social institutions included religion and health. From the onset of colonialism, the colonial leaders in the global south championed the course of teaching and training the indigenes in this region in western ideologies and practices which will foster their development. This s... ...frican countries. International nursing review, 50(4), 242-250. Twumasi P.A. 1987. Evaluation of Traditional Birth Attendants Programme in Ghana. Ministry of Health. Accra Twumasi P.A. 1988. Social Foundations of the interplay between Traditional and Modern Medical Systems. Ghana Universities Press. Accra World Bank 2010. Poverty and Equity Data. Accessed 20th May, 2014 http://data.worldbank.org/topic/poverty WHO 2000. Development of National Policy on Traditional Medicine. Manila. WHO 2001. Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A World Wide Review. Geneva: World Health Organization WHO 2002. WHO traditional medicine strategy 2002-2005. Geneva: World Health Organization WHO 2007. World health statistics 2007. Geneva: World Health Organization WHO 2011. World Health Statistics 2011. Geneva: World Health Organization