Modern and traditional health care in developing societies

the long version

This volume addresses the major problem areas that contribute to poor health conditions in the third world: poverty, poor sanitation, uneven distribution of health resources and services, suboptimal planning, poor management, and political instability. Its focus, however, is on the conflict and cooperation between traditional health care systems and their modern counterparts. Despite an idealization of scientific medical knowledge and technology in the developing world, barriers exist that often prevent their direct application. These barriers usually reflect conflicting socio-cultural and political attitudes toward health modernization. Consequently as scientific medical technology is used in modernization efforts, and as inter-systemic conflicts and disharmonies increase, the importance of understanding the traditional values of the people who live in the 3rd world's rural areas grow more urgent. Modernization goals and ideals of developing countries reflect those of their educated, politically articulate sector. The judgements that follow therefore, usually emanate from those leaders. Leaders' attitudes may not reflect those targeted for governmental health programs--the rural poor--whose perceptions and values will greatly determine the success of governmental health modernization policies. Conflict occurs, when indigenous populations resist or create obstacles to modern health care approaches. Traditional leaders and healers then struggle to protect their own interests, and those of their people. -- From http://www.popline.org (Oct. 14, 2016).