Human African Trypanosomiasis: Ethnomedical and Biomedical Relationships

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) threatens more than 55 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. The focus of this paper is the relationship that exists between ethnomedical and biomedical practitioners regarding treatment of HAT. The relationship has been one of conflict. Biomedical practitioners have attempted to remove ethnomedicine from African society. This practice has been unsuccessful, especially in rural regions. Ethnomedical practitioners have adopted some aspects of biomedicine, but inadequate application and resources limit their efficacy. The biomedical community, including the World Health Organization, has not recognized the resource potential within ethnomedicine. An examination of the areas of conflict reveals differences in the explanatory models of disease causation and treatment methods. There has been some progress toward a cooperative model of healthcare, but most biomedical practitioners disregard ethnomedical techniques as primitive and ineffective. The conclusion of this paper presents a bleak future for the prevention and treatment of HAT in Africa. This future may be avoided with an increased level of cooperation and understanding between the two systems.