Contribution of Medical Anthropology in the Treatment of Health Care

Abstract

This study deals with the achievements of medical anthropology, as one of the subdivisions of Anthropology, little or not known until now in Albania. It relies, first of all, on the health culture of the peoples and their social construct in relation to health, which is dictated – among others- by cultural norms and local decisionmaking institutions. The article further discusses the connections of Anthropology with medical practice, the areas of application of medical anthropology and the current agenda of its action. The second part is dedicated to the Anthropology of COVID-19. According to the author, this new pandemic has hit human populations, perhaps like never before, at least in terms of the extent shown by previous models and forecasts, changing their environmental balance. It brings the personal experiences of 15 medical anthropologists, who have researched specific aspects of the pandemic in different areas of the globe. Their involvement in the analysis of the facts so far and in terms of the socio-cultural response of different population groups to it deserve special attention, as well as the interaction of emergencies involving universal health care, climate change and civil liberties.