Mark Morrison

Defense Date

10-18-2007

Graduation Date

2007

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

thesis

Degree Name

MA

Department

Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Committee Chair

Matthew L. Schneirov

Committee Member

Joseph D. Yenerall

Keywords

Ghana, Global Health, International Development, Medical Pluralism, Medical Syncretism, Traditional Healers, Traditional Medicine

Abstract

Efforts to create public policy integrating traditional/indigenous medical practices and practitioners into national healthcare strategies are currently being pursued in a variety of nations in the Africa region. The purpose of this research is to present a historical case study of the social and political factors associated with the passage of the Traditional Medicine Practice Act of 2000 in the West African nation of Ghana. Research methodology included conducting a thorough examination of available archival and secondary data as well as an abbreviated interview series (N=5). Research findings suggest that significant factors associated with Ghanaian medical revivalism were the role of cultural nationalism in creating a policy platform in the early post-independence period concerned primarily with redeveloping indigenous Ghanaian arts and sciences and the role of individual leadership -- personified by Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. Aku Ampofo.

Format

PDF

Language

English

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