Western Medicine in a Community in Ghana: A Social Change Review

Abstract

This study focuses on Western medical practices in the Atiwa District of Ghana. The people of Atiwa District accessed Western medicinal practice to prevent and cure diseases. Before the advent of Western medical practice in the Atiwa District, people were unable to access Western medicine due to the challenges with travelling or trekking from rural communities to the towns where they would find limited Western oriented health centres/hospitals. Although there were challenges, the local population continued to highly embrace practitioners and also accessed the basic Western oriented medical facilities. Western medical strategies were used to combat skin diseases, stomach aches, and malaria that was prevalent in the Atiwa District. The other diseases which afflicted the people and which required urgent attention included cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM), tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS among others. Findings from the study revealed that the introduction and success of western medical practice in the Atiwa District could not have been possible without a positive reception from the indigenous people. Importantly, this study has projected the relevance of public health in the history of the people of Atiwa and the significant roles played by governments to ensure the promotion of good health at the District.

Developing classroom ICT teaching techniques, principles and practice for teachers in rural Ghana without access to computers or internet: a framework based on literature review

“…In Ghana, this divide is particularly accentuated between urban and rural settings. Rural educational institutions often grapple with challenges including the absence of electricity, limited internet connectivity, and a dearth of ICT resources and training (Adu-Gyamfi et al ., 2015; Boateng et al ., 2018). Such constraints hinder rural students from fully participating in the digital era, depriving them of essential digital competencies vital in today's globalized world (Bingimlas, 2009; Fraillon et al ., 2013).…”

Vaccine Coverage: Resurgence of Measles Outbreak in Ghana

“…Global measles death have reduced to 73% from an estimated number of 536, 000 to 142, 000 2018 [1]. Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease, yet many children in Ghana remain unvaccinated due to several factors, including lack of access to healthcare services, misinformation about vaccines, inadequate vaccine, under-resourced healthcare system and delay in response to the disease outbreak [3,4]. In Ghana, the measles vaccine is included in the routine immunization schedule, with the first dose given at nine months of age and the second dose at 18 months [5].…”