The Indigenous Medical Knowledge Systems, Perceptions and Treatment of Mental Illness Among the Yoruba of Nigeria

Studies in African indigenous medical knowledge and the perception and treatment of illnesses require a significant intellectual concern given the interface of indigenous knowledge and health. This paper seeks to argue that there exist an indigenous peoples’ medical knowledge systems and these influence their perceptions and treatment methods of mental illness. The research was conducted by using ethnography to elicit data on how indigenous knowledge is connected with the conceptualisation of mental illness, how this constructs the treatment strategy and then enhances the effectiveness of their practice. The Yoruba people of Southwest of Nigeria have an indigenous knowledge system that is technical. The paper concludes that indigenous medical knowledge system in the treatment of mental illness is efficacious in the treatment of different kinds of mental illnesses. It will be foolhardy to underrate and cast aspersion on this kind of practice especially among indigenous practitioners.

Indigenous Knowledge Creation in Africa: Bridging The Gap Between Traditional African Medicine and Modernity

For several millennia of human evolution and humankind search for advancement, one most neglected, unexplored but critical aspect of human development is the issue of Indigenous knowledge creation. This knowledge system is grossly underutilised chiefly because western knowledge is used to design the agenda for global development. However, recently, there is a global awareness towards using indigenous in the search for solutions to several problems that beset humanity. Critical to the different aspects of indigenous knowledge is traditional African medicine. In fact, there is no gainsaying that the neglect of traditional medicine cannot be divorced from the predicament of Africa especially regarding the overwhelming impact of diseases. Since the World Health Organization’s Alma Atta of 1978, traditional medicine has come to fore in the global discussion concerning health and healing for humankind. The most debated and most compelling aspect of this is the need for the integration of traditional medicine with modern medicine. This study therefor designed is to stimulate discussion on indigenous knowledge creation and its implication for synergizing traditional medicine with modern medicine

The Indigenous Medical Knowledge Systems, Perceptions and Treatment of Mental Illness Among the Yoruba of Nigeria

Studies in African indigenous medical knowledge and the perception and treatment of illnesses require a significant intellectual concern given the interface of indigenous knowledge and health. This paper seeks to argue that there exist an indigenous peoples’ medical knowledge systems and these influence their perceptions and treatment methods of mental illness. The research was conducted by using ethnography to elicit data on how indigenous knowledge is connected with the conceptualisation of mental illness, how this constructs the treatment strategy and then enhances the effectiveness of their practice. The Yoruba people of Southwest of Nigeria have an indigenous knowledge system that is technical. The paper concludes that indigenous medical knowledge system in the treatment of mental illness is efficacious in the treatment of different kinds of mental illnesses. It will be foolhardy to underrate and cast aspersion on this kind of practice especially among indigenous practitioners

Transforming access to care for serious mental disorders in slums (the TRANSFORM Project) : rationale, design and protocol

This paper introduces the TRANSFORM project, which aims to improve access to mental health services for people with serious and enduring mental disorders (SMDs – psychotic disorders and severe mood disorders, often with co-occurring substance misuse) living in urban slums in Dhaka (Bangladesh) and Ibadan (Nigeria). People living in slum communities have high rates of SMDs, limited access to mental health services and conditions of chronic hardship. Help is commonly sought from faith-based and traditional healers, but people with SMDs require medical treatment, support and follow-up. This multicentre, international mental health mixed-methods research project will (a) conduct community-based ethnographic assessment using participatory methods to explore community understandings of SMDs and help-seeking; (b) explore the role of traditional and faith-based healing for SMDs, from the perspectives of people with SMDs, caregivers, community members, healers, community health workers (CHWs) and health professionals; (c) co-design, with CHWs and healers, training packages for screening, early detection and referral to mental health services; and (d) implement and evaluate the training packages for clinical and cost-effectiveness in improving access to treatment for those with SMDs. TRANSFORM will develop and test a sustainable intervention that can be integrated into existing clinical care and inform priorities for healthcare providers and policy makers

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Cambios en el crecimiento, digestibilidad y anatomía intestinal de pollos de engorde alimentados con dietas que contienen harina de semillas de ricino ( Ricinus communis L.) tratada con etanol

Eight weeks feeding trial was conducted to investigate the chemical composition, growth response, apparent nutrient digestibility, gut characteristics and morphology of broiler chickens fed four diets containing ethanol-treated castor oil seed meal (ECAM). Two hundred day-old Anak 2000 broiler chicks were then allotted to the four experimental diets containing ECAM at 0, 100, 150 and 200 g/kg, respectively. Each treatment was replicated five times with 10 birds per replicate. The final live weight, weight gain and feed intake reduced (P < 0.01) with increasing dietary inclusion of ECAM. Control fed broilers and those fed diets containing 100 g/kg and 150 g/kg ECAM had similar feed to gain ratio. Broilers fed diets containing 200 g/kg ECAM recorded the least (Linear and quadratic contrast, P < 0.05) crude protein and crude fibre digestibility, and the poorest (Linear contrast, P < 0.05) feed to gain ratio. Similar improved feed to gain ratio, apparent crude fibre, fat and ash digestibility were noticed with birds fed the control diet, diets containing 100 g/kg and 150 g/kg ECAM, respectively. Relative gizzard weight increased (P < 0.05) with increasing dietary inclusion levels of ECAM. Broilers fed with 200 g/kg ECAM recorded the heaviest (P < 0.05) relative gizzard, pancreas, duodenum weight and the longest (P < 0.05) relative jejunum and ileum length. Villi length and crypt depth of the duodenum reduced (P < 0.05) with increasing dietary inclusion of ECAM. In conclusion, ethanol-treated castor seed oil meal can be included up to 150 g/kg diet in broiler ration without impairing growth and nutrient digestibility.Un ensayo de alimentación de ocho semanas se realizó para investigar la composición química, la respuesta del crecimiento, la digestibilidad aparente de nutrimentos, las características y la morfología intestinal de pollos de engorde alimentados con dietas que contienen harina de semillas de ricino tratada con etanol (HSRTE). Doscientos pollos de engorde Anak 2000 de un día de edad se asignaron a cuatro dietas experimentales que contienen HSRTE a 0, 100, 150 y 200 g/kg, respectivamente. Cada tratamiento se repitió cinco veces con 10 aves por repetición. El peso vivo final, la ganancia de peso y el consumo de alimento se redujo (P < 0,01) con la inclusión cada vez mayor de la dieta de HSRTE. Los pollos de engorde alimentados con el control y aquellos alimentados con dietas que contenían 100 y 150 g/kg de HSRTE tuvieron una relación alimento:ganancia similar. Los pollos de engorde alimentados con dietas que contenían 200g/kg de HSRTE registraron la menor proteína cruda y digestibilidad de fibra cruda (Contrastes lineal y cuadrático, P < 0,05) y la relación alimento:ganancia más pobre (Contraste lineal, P < 0,05). Se notó un mejoramiento similar en la relación alimento:ganacia y digestibilidad aparente de fibra cruda, grasa y cenizas con aves alimentadas con la dieta control, dietas que contenían 100 y 150 g/kg de HSRTE, respectivamente. El peso relativo de la molleja se incrementó (P < 0,05) con el aumento de los niveles de inclusión en la dieta de HSRTE. Los pollos alimentados con 200 g/kg de HSRTE registraron el mayor peso relativo de la molleja, el páncreas y el duodeno (P < 0,05) y la mayor longitud relativa del yeyuno y el íleon (P < 0,05). La longitud de las vellosidades y la profundidad de las criptas del duodeno se redujeron (P < 0,05) con un incremento de la inclusión en las dietas de HSRTE. En conclusión, la harina de semillas de ricino tratada con etanol puede ser incluida hasta 150 g/kg en dietas para raciones para pollos de engorde, sin perjudicar el crecimiento y la digestibilidad de los nutrimentos