Madagascar: Healthcare-Related Beliefs, Values and Perception Essay

Submitted By rithwik65
Words: 1576
Pages: 7

HEALTHCARE RELATED BELIEFS, VALUES AND PERCEPTIONS IN MADAGASCAR:

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Submitted By: MADAGASCAR” as an example for future students and class.

PUBLIC HEALTH IN MADAGASCAR:

-Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, is also one of the world's poorest countries. 80% of the population lives in rural areas with difficult access to most services. The availability of health services is extremely limited, leading to high rates of infant, child, andmaternal mortality. In addition, 65% of the population does not have access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
- Average life expectancy is 62 years in male and 65 years in women.

-Infant mortality is 58 deaths per 1000 live births.

- Malaria is the most prevalent disease in Madagascar and most people die from Malaria.

People in Madagascar use traditional medicine for malaria and these traditional Herbal

medicines have shown to be equally more effective, more available and less expensive

than western pharmaceuticals.

-Total expenditure for healthcare system that is allocated by the Government of

Madagascar in the budget is 4%.

-A variety of traditional practitioners provide a function of diviner/ traditional healers.

Illness, misfortune, financial hardships, and relationship problems are reasons for

adapting all traditional practitioners.
-Traditional medicine is widely used in Madagascar and natural plant-based medicines are more conducive to alleviating the ailments and diseases.
-Maternal mortality rate in Madagascar is 449 per 100000 births.
-- A Policy which was implemented by Government of Madagascar is The Madagascar ActionPlan(MAP) has become the key policy of the Malagasy state, comprising five commitments towards a prosperous future. Commitment five outlines the government’s strategy on health, family planning and the fight against HIV/AIDS.[2]

TRADITIONAL BELIEFS IN MADAGASCAR
1.NKISI:
In Madagascar culture, the use of the magico-medicinal compositions, which is practiced by specialist operators and objects used in this practice has an individual name, known area of expertise and often the appropriate reputation for the success of its interventions. Here, they use an object which is spiritually inhabited and does close communications with ancestors and provide operators / healers with remedies against diseases. They believe the results are either from witchcraft or the demands of spirits or from the emissaries from the land of dead. Among the many common materials used in thenkisi were fruit, charcoal and mushrooms . Minerals were collected from various places associated with the dead, such as earth collected fromgraves and riverbeds[8].

2. ETHNOBOTANY:
It is the scientific study of relationships that exists between the people and plants. It involves in investigating various plants used by primitive human societies across the world. Based on thestudies on plants, ancient people in Madagascar identified antimalarial medicinal plant extracts and also used several traditional plant products for diarrhea . Mostly in the rural areas, the use of plant medicines plays an important role in daily health care. Local medicines