Traditional medicine and biopsychosocial fulfilment in African health

Abstract

This paper examines whether traditional medicine promotes biopsychosocial fulfilment in African health and argues that every society has its own method of managing illness and of controlling the environment. The paper shows how each society functions within the constraints of its own unique system of social structure, language and communication, belief and customs, attitudes, behaviour and ‘cultural facts’ upon which health services are based. The concept, meaning and uses of traditional medicine are also discussed. It shows how traditional medicine can be used as a ‘psychological opium’ as a relief in pain and suffering thus creating a ‘placebo effect’. The concepts and meaning of biopsychosocial health are explained. These can be linked to the definition of health by the World Health Organization (WHO) which draws attention to the fact that biopsychosocial health and traditional medicine promote the fulfilment of social and biological needs in African health.