AFRICAN RELIGION, CULTURE, AND HEALTH PROMOTION

Abstract

This paper presents African religion and culture as promoters of human health. Though, there are practices that seem to hinder health promotion in African religion and culture, for example, scarification, clitoridectomy, unhygienic traditional health services etc which were introduced without the awareness of their health hazards, but the moment the practitioners become aware of the health dangers of those practices naturally they resort to cautions, this study perceives negligence of the inputs African religion and culture have in the promotion of human health by the present generation as a problem that deserves attention. The research aims at re-addressing the significance of African religion and culture in promoting human health, advocate for serious insight to African religion (magic, medicine) and culture as standard alternative medical and health care delivery and so on. If required attention is offered, African religion and culture will be bound to shed off superstitions. It will develop more sophisticated medical and health care services beyond Africa, among other things. The research employs historical and phenomenological research methods. Data were sourced from primary and secondary sources. Data were also analyzed with descriptive method of data analysis. The paper recommends that sensitization campaign through mass media, seminars etc is needed to amend the discrepancy between modern and traditional medicine, punitive and civil penalties should be promulgated against those who are fond of hunting for shrines and traditional places of worship to demolish, and so on.