Yoruba notions of health, disease and healing

Abstract

In this article, the main objectives were to characterize the notions of health, disease and cure of the Yoruba of Nigeria (West Africa) and to make a confrontation between this ethnomedicine and modern Western medicine, based on evidence, given the fact that these two medicinal practices coexist in African territory. Considering the set of data voluminous to be articulated, as a methodology for the treatment of these data, it was decided to carry out a bibliographic study. The results show the existence of favorable and unfavorable elements both in the provision of medical services by traditional Yoruba medicine and in the provision of medical services by modern Western medicine. Acknowledging the challenges involved in the coexistence of two medical rationalities in the same geographical and sociocultural territory seems to be fundamental for the integration of this medical knowledge and practices for the benefit of the occupants of this territory. It is concluded that integration is feasible and mutually beneficial, and the relevance of ethnopsychological studies on this human encounter is emphasized.