Biomedical Hegemony and Democracy in South Africa by Ngambouck Vitalis Pemunta and Chama-James Tabenyang

NYOK, Maurine Ekun. Biomedical Hegemony and Democracy in South Africa by Ngambouck Vitalis Pemunta and Chama-James Tabenyang. Electronic Journal of Social and Strategic Studies. 2021, vol. 2, No 1, p. 150-153. ISSN 2582-9645. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2021.2117.

Basic information

• Original name: Biomedical Hegemony and Democracy in South Africa by Ngambouck Vitalis Pemunta and Chama-James Tabenyang
• Authors: NYOK, Maurine Ekun.
• Edition: 2021.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Review
• Country of publisher: India
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Organization unit: Faculty of Social Studies
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2021.2117
• Keywords in English: Biomedicine; Africa; Democracy; Economy; Public Health; South Africa; Traditional Medicine

Abstract

The main aim of this book is to create an avenue for collaboration between the African traditional and biomedical healthcare systems. The main narrative unfolds as follows. Despite the dominance of biomedicine, its inability to find a solution to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa did not just send desperate and frustrated patients to resort to traditional healers, but also forced the South African government to publicly adopt traditional medicine while refusing HIV patients access to much-needed antiretroviral therapy. South Africa is a multi-ethnic country with many traditional healers of different backgrounds and expertise, who are very much involved in the healthcare of its citizens, many of whom believe that there are certain illnesses (“African diseases”) that can only be cured by traditional healers. However, since such healers are not always well-equipped to diagnose diseases, some of the healing processes can be very risky to patients. According to South Africans who participated in the study, through integration, traditional healing can be improved to meet rigorous medical standards such as quality, measurement, and sanitary conditions.