IHN Rural Health Conference in Durban (2)
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A brief 'empirical' comment to Wilbur Hoff's question about projects
where indigenous healers are working and what the outcomes are.
Although not in a project setting, I am involved in a long-term study
[15 years so far] of health and nutrition in 20 communities in rural
Zimbabwe. The research is extremely wide-ranging and attempts to
identify influences on health coming from, among others, the environ-
ment, institutions, economics, agriculture, the state and so on.
Two years ago we asked the question: "Who are the most respected
women in your community and why?"
The two "why's" that dominated all others were: traditional birth at-
tendants and village health workers. The former category has existed
prior to living memory, while the latter is a new category created by
government after independence.
There, I suggest, is part of an answer.
Note that the question was specifically gendered and would therefore
not have picked up male traditional healers.
Bill Kinsey
mailto:Bill_Kinsey@compuserve.com
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