Not Every Cough Should be taken to The Doctor, Cultural and Religious Observance could be a Solution: The Role of African Traditional Religion in Health and Wellness

The advancement of biomedicine and modern technology has its contrasting aspects in all spheres of human life. The complexity of human physiology resulted in modern science developing professions and professionals with specialized skills for every organ and parts of the human body. This paper argues that regardless of its high cost, ineffectiveness, inefficiencies and implications in some cases, “doctors’” diagnoses, treatments and pharmaceutical medicines have influenced dependency on biomedicine, even for “minor” sickness especially in urban communities. Traditional and religious methods of healing have suffered prejudices, criticisms, bias, associated with negativity by modern medicine and some “Christians”. Lack of information, misinformation, narrow-mindedness, superiority and inferiority complexes are just a few examples of stumbling blocks to the exposure of cultural and traditional methods of healing. The paper further argues that while the role of biomedicine is highly appreciated, African traditional methods of healing cannot be ignored, undermined, condemned nor unjustly criticized. African traditional healing plays a crucial role as it involves cultural and religious beliefs, and is holistic in nature. It focuses on the physical, psychological, spiritual and social aspects of individuals, families and communities. Taken into consideration some failures due to wrong diagnosis, treatment, prescriptions and financial implication of biomedicine, the paper aims to sensitize its readers without reasonable doubt to the point that not “every cough” should be taken to “the doctor”, cultural and religious observance could be a solution. The paper singles out the Zion Christian Church, in South Africa as a point of departure.