Global Studies Africa Textbook: An Open Global Historical Studies Textbook Main Menu East African Politics, Modern History, and International Relations Authors: Anna Bradley, Georgia Coffman, Madyson Duby, Danny Kovalak Art and Culture in East Africa Modern History of Western Africa Introduction for the Modern History of Western Africa chapter Arts and Culture in Western Africa Arts and Culture in Western Africa Chapter Introduction Medicine and Health in West Africa West African Natural Resources A brief summary of West African natural resources Natural Resources in Central Africa Natural Resources in Central Africa Art and Culture of Central Africa Arts and Culture in North Central Africa Economics and Infrastructure in the South African Region Healthcare in Southern Africa Author Credits

Western

36300 Outbreaks Sam Nakis
Western medicine plays a significantly less role in the healthcare in the people of West Africa. Western medicine is typically evidence-based and relies on symptoms and signs of injury and disease for treatment. They doctors who practice western forms of medicine typically take a less holistic approach to treatment and focus on the use prescriptions, surgeries, and other direct treatments. It tries to fix the symptoms of the disease but does not always look to the cause of it (Grigorov, 2009).

This process of diagnosis and treatment occurs in clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities, which are often inaccessible many due to factors such as distance or cost. Governments lack the funding to build the infrastructure necessary to practice and provide the resources for the care which have led to a shortage of healthcare workers. These facilities are located in urban areas and many are expensive or in the private sector and these private facilities often have the best care available (“Health care quality in Africa”). An increase in the funding towards the healthcare of the country would help to improve the healthcare outcomes of the country. While traditional medicine still has a strong hold on the communities of West Africa, improved access to more structured healthcare would benefit the countries and people immensely. It is important to remember the traditions of the people and understand it place but access to surgery and antibiotics will also improve the quality of lives of the people of West Africa. 
 

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