Traditional healers provide an important link between the rural people of Africa and primary health care. The purpose of this article is to review more recent literature and contemporary practices related to the role of the traditional healer in Africa and the move toward collaboration with an introduction of Western-style medicine and health care, especially for women. African women, particularly older ones in rural communities, utilize the traditional healer's timeless and ancient caregiving when faced with symptoms of mental and physical illness. The concept of training traditional healers and medical personnel to deliver traditional and Western health care to communities requires further consideration and a plan of implementation.
An effective and immediate response from hospital personnel is critical to meet the needs of affected populations at the time of an earthquake disaster. Hospitals need to develop, practise and continuously update an effective disaster/emergency medical response plan. Communities and impacted regions cannot depend on immediate medical and humanitarian aid from other outside sources to meet medical care needs during the first three to five days following an earthquake. How hospitals in earthquake-prone countries such as India, Pakistan and Haiti can improve their medical response is discussed. This discussion of methods to improve effective disaster response of the medical and public health community include a description of important efforts to enhance hospital accreditation, increase personnel training, and use a response capacity checklist.
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