The Politics of Medical Syncretism in the Ghanaian National Healthcare System

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Level thesis:degree_level

Immediate Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy

Year dc:date.available

2007

Author dc:creator

• Morrison, Mark

Contributors dc:contributor

• Matthew L. Schneirov
• Joseph D. Yenerall

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

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/949

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-1965