Research status and future prospects of Medical Geology

The extent to which factors of the geological environment influence the occurrence and distribution of human and animal diseases is increasingly becoming apparent. Unlike the case of the developed world where diets include food sources from geographically diverse regions, in African countries, most of the population live close to the land, relying on locally produced food and water; therefore, the probability of detecting relationships between the geological environment and disease is greatly increased. The ‘East and Southern Africa Regional Workshop on Geomedicine’ was organised by the School of Environmental Studies of Moi University under the auspices of UNESCO, UNEP and the Association of Geoscientists for International Development (AGID). The Workshop was held at the Silver Springs Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, from 23 to 27 June, 1999. The theme of the Workshop was ‘Current Status of Research in Geomedicine’, and this is the first time that a Workshop of this theme has been hosted by Africa. The purpose of the Workshop was to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas in medical geology, for learning about recent advances and for mapping out strategies for further research into areas of the subject where there is still a dearth of knowledge. The Workshop attracted a group of over sixty interdisciplinary participants comprising geologists, geochemists, medical practitioners, biochemists, veterinarians, physicists, nutritionists, environmental lawyers, environmental economists and social scientists from Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom. The Workshop was officially opened by Professor K. Ole-Karei, deputising for Professor R.M. Munavu, Vice Chancellor, Moi University, whose speech was read on his behalf. In this inaugural address, it was noted that a serious danger is posed by the presence of toxic substances of geological origin in the African environment, since the population is in constant and close contact with soils and natural waters. Among the outcomes Professor Munavu expected from the Workshop were proposals for cleaner ways to manage our geological resources, while enhancing the health of our people, and the formulation of propositions on how to develop

This article synthesises current knowledge and identifies research gaps on the still intriguing aspects of the subject of geophagy as practised in Africa. Despite the voluminous research literature that exists on the subject, geophagy in Africa is still a largely misunderstood phenomenon. Although the practice is not confined to any particular age group, race, gender, or geographical region, in Africa it is most commonly recorded among pregnant women and children. Till now, the precise aetiology of geophagy remains obscure; but the practice is thought to have both beneficial effects such as having a role as a nutrient supplement, as well as several demerits. An updated critical review of human geophagy in Africa - with a section on (other) animal geophagy -, highlights several aspects of the practice that need further research. A comprehensive bibliography is assembled, comprising some of the more pertinent and recently published papers (mostly post-dating the year 2005), as well as older seminal works, providing a baseline and robust framework for aiding the search process of Medical Geology researchers and those from allied fields wanting to explore the still poorly understood aspects of geophagy in Africa.