Integrating western orthodox and indigenous medicine : Professional interests and attitudes among university-trained Nigerian physicians

The problem of integrating the two major medical systems in Africa can be approached from many sides. This paper focuses on the attitudes of Western-trained practitioners. They are seen as a major force to be reckoned with in any serious attempt at cooperation or corporation. Nevertheless, substantive information in this area remains minimal. In the light of the well documented history of the struggle for control of the medical field by University-trained physicians in the West, and Freidson's discussions on professional dominance' the author theorized that the issue of integration in Nigeria would stir professional anxieties. The Western-trained physicians can be expected to object to serious moves-to integrate the two systems. Given this approach, it was hypothesized that. 1. (1) Western-trained medical doctors will not like attempts to be integrated with indigenous healers (personnel) into a unified medical system. 2. (2) Of the various aspects of the indigenous system, they will be interested in the quantifiable as compared to the nonquantifiable. One hundred and three self administered questionnaires were analysed. These were obtained in February 1978 from members of the Nigerian Medical Association attending a conference in Ibadan. The results supported the first hypothesis. For although two-thirds of the respondents said they favoured integration in general, when pressed, such suggestions as the development of 'joint clinics' were rejected by a significant majority and the 'separate development' of each system favoured. The second hypothesis was not however supported. There was ample evidence of interest in the less tangible, as yet not quantifiable aspects of the medical practices of indigenous practitioners.