[afro-nets] A new paradigm in public health research (2)

General afro-nets
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A new paradigm in public health research (2)
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I am a young scientist from Kenya and I have been musing over
the public health disaster and basic underdevelopment that is
Africa, which makes us a depressing places to live in. I have
observed a duality of worldviews within the African peoples
which I believe could be the fundamental cause for most of our
problems. This duality is perpetuated by the unfounded conde-
scension of a European derived ethnocentric education system.

Not able to divorce ourselves from our innately African world-
view, we have become adept at living a double life: westernized
professionals during official hours 8am - 5pm only to shed it
for our indigenous worldview which rules our thoughts, percep-
tions and behaviours during the evenings and weekends.

As you can imagine, this schizophrenic existence has had great
ramifications for Africans that may perhaps explain the high
HIV/AIDS prevalence among African peoples (our sexual behaviour
is African worldview oriented whereas all interventions are
Western worldview oriented).

Including political and ideological perspectives in research may
well help us to empower our people (Africans) against HIV.

R.K.

[From the moderator: please give always full name and e-mail ad-
dress]

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A new paradigm in public health research (3)
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This is a very thoughtful posting and probably reflects the
situation in all of the developing world. Probably this dual
thinking is what makes the foreign assistance fail. Particu-
larly, the indigenous people who do not have the privilege (?)
of a western world vision are unable to accept or relate to aid
which is based on the western Vision. Moreover the westerners,
do nor have the privilege or the indigenous vision.

So I think the onus is on us, who have the dual vision to forge
what is best for our people. If we ask that we should be engaged
in the decision making process, and keep the indigenous vision
while developing our programmes, the world can be a better
place.

The question is....... do we realise this; and are we equal to
the task? Do we know our people enough?

Manjula Datta
mailto:manjulad@yahoo.com