Harnessing African indigenous knowledge for managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
by Olawale R. Olaopa
International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development (IJTLID), Vol. 12, No. 4, 2020

Abstract: The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have forced many nations to strengthen or completely overhaul their healthcare systems. However, to ensure truly healthy future and efficient health systems worldwide, and in Africa especially, this requires more innovative health management systems and care for treating ailments predicated in people's IK. This paper aims to innovatively explore and examine the role of traditions and practices in influencing community and individual perceptions of health and illness, prevention, cure and management of COVID-19. It uses a qualitative research method and employs tripartite-theoretical frameworks of analysis: ethno-medical model, explanatory model, and health promotion model. It emerged that harnessing society's extant indigenous knowledge and identifying areas of improvement through genuine practices, means that the danger posed by COVID-19 can be curtailed through indigenous curative measures and initiatives. Meanwhile an IK-informed system of health management model for COVID-19 and general health management will be devised. Thus, incorporating or balancing this with scientific knowledge, in an environmentally sustainable way will benefit all stakeholders.

Online publication date: Mon, 01-Feb-2021

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development (IJTLID):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com