Climatic and environmental changes
Reading 1
Climatic and environmental changes caused by man or natural, affect the prevalence of certain diseases. For instance, dam construction or temperature rise can increase malaria occurrence. It is crucial to understand how illnesses are affected by ecology, and their transmission path, to know how to prevent or slow their spread.
Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of illnesses may be hindered by invisible barriers like inadequacy of knowledge and medical infrastructure. These barriers are part of the reasons why mental wellness has, for long, failed to be treated as a health concern. Psychiatric facilities should be put up to help deal with psychological issues, and social barriers removed so people can seek help without being stigmatized.
The physical, cultural and social environment are all connected and could affect the well-being of a person. Thus, medical practitioners should take them into account before making a diagnosis, cure and implementing preventive measures.
Reading 2
Good health and wholeness vary depending on one’s culture. Before adopting Christianity and Islam, the African society had an indigenous religion, culture and practices that influenced their notions about health and wholeness and their medical practices. They believed in the existence of a supreme being and supernatural forces that affected a person’s health and healing. Therefore, any factor that disrupted the cosmic balance and natural law was believed to cause disease.
African Traditional medicine is based on the transfer of knowledge and practices through generations regarding the diagnosis, prevention and eradication of ailments and restoration of health. It involves the use of natural healing mediums like herbs and roots, as well as the invocation of spiritual influences, thought to be connected to them.
Fake, expired or substandard modern medicine can make orthodox medicine ineffective. On the other hand, some people view Alternative medicine as pagan and heathen. However, this is not true for either case. Instead, positive concepts of modern and alternative medicine can be integrated to bring about health and wholeness.