<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This study focuses on Western medical practices in the Atiwa District of Ghana. The people of Atiwa District accessed Western medicinal practice to prevent and cure diseases. Before the advent of Western medical practice in the Atiwa District, people were unable to access Western medicine due to the challenges with travelling or trekking from rural communities to the towns where they would find limited Western oriented health centres/hospitals. Although there were challenges, the local population continued to highly embrace practitioners and also accessed the basic Western oriented medical facilities. Western medical strategies were used to combat skin diseases, stomach aches, and malaria that was prevalent in the Atiwa District. The other diseases which afflicted the people and which required urgent attention included cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM), tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS among others. Findings from the study revealed that the introduction and success of western medical practice in the Atiwa District could not have been possible without a positive reception from the indigenous people. Importantly, this study has projected the relevance of public health in the history of the people of Atiwa and the significant roles played by governments to ensure the promotion of good health at the District.</p></abstract>

This study focuses on Western medical practices in the Atiwa District of Ghana. The people of Atiwa District accessed Western medicinal practice to prevent and cure diseases. Before the advent of Western medical practice in the Atiwa District, people were unable to access Western medicine due to the challenges with travelling or trekking from rural communities to the towns where they would find limited Western oriented health centres/hospitals. Although there were challenges, the local population continued to highly embrace practitioners and also accessed the basic Western oriented medical facilities. Western medical strategies were used to combat skin diseases, stomach aches, and malaria that was prevalent in the Atiwa District. The other diseases which afflicted the people and which required urgent attention included cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM), tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS among others. Findings from the study revealed that the introduction and success of western medical practice in the Atiwa District could not have been possible without a positive reception from the indigenous people. Importantly, this study has projected the relevance of public health in the history of the people of Atiwa and the significant roles played by governments to ensure the promotion of good health at the District.

Western Medicine in a Community in Ghana: A Social Change Review

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Department of History and Political Studies

Social Change Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Western Medicine in a Community in Ghana: A Social Change Review"}

This study focuses on Western medical practices in the Atiwa District of Ghana. The people of Atiwa District accessed Western medicinal practice to prevent and...

Western Medicine in a Community in Ghana: A Social Change Review

Published Online: Oct 02, 2020

Page range: 61 - 89

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scr-2019-0002

Keywords
Diseases, Social Change, Western Medicine, Public Health, Hospitals, Health Centres, Atiwa District, Ghana

© 2019 Samuel Adu-Gyamfi et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Western Medicine in a Community in Ghana: A Social Change Review

Published Online: Oct 02, 2020

Page range: 61 - 89

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scr-2019-0002

KeywordsDiseases, Social Change, Western Medicine, Public Health, Hospitals, Health Centres, Atiwa District, Ghana

© 2019 Samuel Adu-Gyamfi et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Diseases, Social Change, Western Medicine, Public Health, Hospitals, Health Centres, Atiwa District, Ghana