Making the Ethical Transition in South Africa: Acquiring Human Bodies for Training in Anatomy

Kramer, Beverley; Hutchinson, Erin F.; Brits, Desiré; Billings, Brendon K.

doi:10.1002/ase.1814

Cited by 21 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 61 publications

(78 reference statements)

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“…This report uncovers four themes that are regarded as carrying serious implications for anatomical teaching, learning, and research in this specific province. The uniqueness of circumstances in this setting has been alluded compared to other provinces like Gauteng where reliance of bequeathed bodies has improved (Kramer et al, 2019) yet without representation of the Black African population. It is important to highlight that death in the scientific and African perspectives varies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Overall, cadavers for both anatomical education and research are from unclaimed bodies (Labuschagne and Mathey, 2000; L’Abbe et al, 2005; Gangata et al, 2010; Kramer and Hutchinson, 2015) with a smaller number from whole‐body donations (Gangata, 2015; Riederer, 2016; Habicht et al, 2018). In the University of Witwatersrand, a transition to the use of bequeathed bodies has occurred (Kramer et al, 2019). At the University of KwaZulu‐Natal, a body donation program exists, but there has been a recent decrease in the number of bodies made available, such that the program does not meet the needs of anatomical and medical education nor of research.…”

Section: The African Situationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of central importance is the observation that only 5% of the bodies that were donated in the University of Cape Town were from the Black African and Colored populations (Cornwall et al, 2012). This is a general phenomenon in South Africa (Kramer et al, 2019), especially in the KwaZulu‐Natal province where no body donations have been received from the Black African population.…”

Section: The African Situationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The study by Cornwall et al (2012) reflected the predominant participation of the White population group in body donation, with only 5% of the Black African population being active participants. This study was undertaken in the Western Cape Province, but even less is known about other provinces, with the exception of Gauteng from the perspective of the University of Witwatersrand (Kramer and Hutchinson, 2015; Kramer et al, 2019). It is interesting that this low level of knowledge about body donation also applies to organ donation (Pike et al, 1993; Bhengu and Uys, 2004).…”

Section: The African Situationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cultural practices of the Zulu ethnic group on the body and their influence on body donation

Gama

Jones

Bhengu

et al. 2020

Anatomical Sciences Ed

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Cultural practices in the African continent have been thought to impact negatively on body donation. Thus, most African countries continue to rely on unclaimed bodies for dissection programs, or bequests from the white population. The latter situation is dominant in South African medical schools. Since South Africa is multi‐cultural with nine main ethnic groups of the Black African population, it is important to seek the reasons behind lack of participation in body donation. This report represents a move in this direction with its qualitative study of the cultural practices of the Zulu ethnic group in the province of KwaZulu‐Natal from the perspective of a variety of participants, with emphasis on their treatment of the human body after death. Four themes emerged from interviews: (1) Death is not the end; (2) Effect of belief in ancestors; (3) Significance of rituals and customs carried out on human tissue; and (4) Burial as the only method of body disposal. Each of these themes is discussed in relation to the likelihood of body donation being seen by Zulus as an acceptable practice. It is concluded that this is unlikely, on account of the need to preserve the linkage between the physical human body and the spirit of the deceased person, and the perceived ongoing relationship between the spirit of the dead and the living. In view of these conclusions, a number of options are canvassed about the manner in which anatomists in KwaZulu‐Natal might obtain bodies for dissection. These possibilities have implications for anatomists working in comparable cultural contexts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: The African Situationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The African Situationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The African Situationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Cultural practices of the Zulu ethnic group on the body and their influence on body donation

Gama

Jones

Bhengu

et al. 2020

Anatomical Sciences Ed

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Institutes from some countries have implemented body donation programs in their respective domains, with encouraging results. [2][3][4][5] A study from Nigeria called for the establishment of bequest program in the country to solve the issue of cadaver shortages. 6 In a study, the authors mentioned about the rise in body donation owing to the changes in religious beliefs and practices.…”

Section: Have Not Yet Been Able To Establish Functioning Body Donatiomentioning

confidence: 99%

This is how we did it—Conceiving and continuing a body donation and honor program at all india institute of medical sciences, Raipur, India

et al. 2020

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Background and Aim Medical institutes around the world are facing scarcity of cadavers for anatomy dissection and teaching purpose. The academic value of “hands-on experience” on human bodies remains the mainstay of medical education, especially in the foster years of the young student. Efforts are needed to improve the availability of human bodies for dissection. This can be achieved by encouraging the masses to donate their bodies for the same. Material and Methods The authors conceived a full-fledged body donation awareness campaign starting from 2013, which is successfully continuing till date. The program included memorial services and honor ceremonies for the family members of the pledgers/donors. Considerate support was provided by many nongovernmental organizations as well as the administration of the institute in discussion. Observations The efforts made by the department emerged as an extremely improved scenario in terms of availability of cadavers for anatomy teaching and interdepartmental activities. Till date, 1,106 people have pledged for donating their bodies to the institute and 85 actual donations occurred till 31 July 2019. The continuous efforts of all the stakeholders have significantly improved the cadaver availability in the department where the ratio of one human body to 10 students is being practiced. Conclusions Further work is still needed to encourage more people toward this altruistic act. Further deliberations with religious and political leaders are underway to enhance the penetration of this message amongst the masses. Extensive publicity is being planned for the same, and the authors are hopeful of further promising results toward this cause.

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Three‐dimensional Printing in Anatomy Education: Assessing Potential Ethical Dimensions

Jones

2019

Anatomical Sciences Ed

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New technological developments have frequently had major consequences for anatomy education, and have raised ethical queries for anatomy educators. The advent of three‐dimensional (3D) printing of human material is showing considerable promise as an educational tool that fits alongside cadaveric dissection, plastination, computer simulation, and anatomical models and images. At first glance its ethical implications appear minimal, and yet the more extensive ethical implications around clinical bioprinting suggest that a cautious approach to 3D printing in the dissecting room is in order. Following an overview of early groundbreaking studies into 3D printing of prosections, organs, and archived fetal material, it has become clear that their origin, using donated bodies or 3D files available on the Internet, has ethical overtones. The dynamic presented by digital technology raises questions about the nature of the consent provided by the body donor, reasons for 3D printing, the extent to which it will be commercialized, and its comparative advantages over other available teaching resources. In exploring questions like these, the place of 3D printing within a hierarchical sequence of value is outlined. Discussion centers on the significance of local usage of prints, the challenges created by regarding 3D prints as disposable property, the importance of retaining the human side to anatomy, and the unacceptability of obtaining 3D‐printed material from unclaimed bodies. It is concluded that the scientific tenor of 3D processes represents a move away from the human person, so that efforts are required to prevent them accentuating depersonalization and commodification.

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Making the Ethical Transition in South Africa: Acquiring Human Bodies for Training in Anatomy

Cited by 21 publications

References 61 publications

Cultural practices of the Zulu ethnic group on the body and their influence on body donation

Cultural practices of the Zulu ethnic group on the body and their influence on body donation

This is how we did it—Conceiving and continuing a body donation and honor program at all india institute of medical sciences, Raipur, India

Three‐dimensional Printing in Anatomy Education: Assessing Potential Ethical Dimensions

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