Interest groups, issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in Ghana
In some African societies, the highly accessible means of healthcare that has stood the test of time is traditional medicine. Though several actors have different views pertaining to its practice, traditional medicine continues to survive even in the age where biomedicine has become very reputable...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nordic Africa Research Network
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Nordic Journal of African Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/472 |
| _version_ | 1797697119226691584 |
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| author | Samuel Adu-Gyamfi Richard Oware Dennis Baffour Awuah |
| author_facet | Samuel Adu-Gyamfi Richard Oware Dennis Baffour Awuah |
| author_sort | Samuel Adu-Gyamfi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
In some African societies, the highly accessible means of healthcare that has stood the test of time is traditional medicine. Though several actors have different views pertaining to its practice, traditional medicine continues to survive even in the age where biomedicine has become very reputable among African communities. Statistics have indicated that, 80% of Africans make use of traditional medicine before consulting any health practitioner in biomedicine. In the Ghanaian setting, traditional medicine users range from 75% to 90%. Using colonial Asante as a case study, which includes Ahafo, this article draws insight from a wide range of archival sources to highlight the various transformations underlying traditional medical practices in Asante and its environs. It argues this in the context of definitions and meanings attached to traditional medicine by actors such as the Ghana Psychic and Traditional Healers Association (GPTHA), the British Colonial Government in Asante, immediate post-colonial governments and Native Authorities who are at the centre of cultural norms in which traditional medicine features greatly. The findings suggest that the perspective of emerging healers who have modernised their practices, continue to have significant implications on healthcare in Ghana. It further postulates that their engagement has increased the functional scope of traditional medicine in Ghana.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:35:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6109506d24d24a25a85c927a8963a8ee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1459-9465 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:35:43Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Nordic Africa Research Network |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nordic Journal of African Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-6109506d24d24a25a85c927a8963a8ee2023-09-03T13:15:31ZengNordic Africa Research NetworkNordic Journal of African Studies1459-94652019-12-0128410.53228/njas.v28i4.472Interest groups, issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in GhanaSamuel Adu-Gyamfi0Richard Oware1Dennis Baffour Awuah2Department of history and political studies, Kwame Nkrumah university of science and technology, Kumasi-GhanaDepartment of history, University of Saskatchewan, CanadaDepartment of history, Illinois state university, USA In some African societies, the highly accessible means of healthcare that has stood the test of time is traditional medicine. Though several actors have different views pertaining to its practice, traditional medicine continues to survive even in the age where biomedicine has become very reputable among African communities. Statistics have indicated that, 80% of Africans make use of traditional medicine before consulting any health practitioner in biomedicine. In the Ghanaian setting, traditional medicine users range from 75% to 90%. Using colonial Asante as a case study, which includes Ahafo, this article draws insight from a wide range of archival sources to highlight the various transformations underlying traditional medical practices in Asante and its environs. It argues this in the context of definitions and meanings attached to traditional medicine by actors such as the Ghana Psychic and Traditional Healers Association (GPTHA), the British Colonial Government in Asante, immediate post-colonial governments and Native Authorities who are at the centre of cultural norms in which traditional medicine features greatly. The findings suggest that the perspective of emerging healers who have modernised their practices, continue to have significant implications on healthcare in Ghana. It further postulates that their engagement has increased the functional scope of traditional medicine in Ghana. https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/472Health practicestraditional medicineGhanaAsante |
| spellingShingle | Samuel Adu-Gyamfi Richard Oware Dennis Baffour Awuah Interest groups, issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in Ghana Nordic Journal of African Studies Health practices traditional medicine Ghana Asante |
| title | Interest groups, issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in Ghana |
| title_full | Interest groups, issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Interest groups, issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interest groups, issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in Ghana |
| title_short | Interest groups, issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in Ghana |
| title_sort | interest groups issue definition and the politics of traditional medicine in ghana |
| topic | Health practices traditional medicine Ghana Asante |
| url | https://www.njas.fi/njas/article/view/472 |
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