ETHICAL EVALUATION OF INEVITABILITY OF AFRICAN MEDICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNIQUES IN THE ERA OF COVID – 19 PANDEMIC

Over the years, Africans have not just neglected their divinely endowed wealth of knowledge of science and techniques, but they have also failed in the aspect of applying this science and techniques to contemporary issues that affect them both positively and negatively. COVID – 19 pandemic has helped us to see the need for the development of indigenous science and healing techniques using our traditional medicine in health care delivery. Every continent and country is struggling to find contextual remedy that is basically peculiar to them. Since there is no good circulation of orthodox drugs and medical services due to border closures, while, potent vaccine against COVID – 19 is yet to be readily available. This serves as a wakeup call for increasing interest in indigenous medical science and healing techniques to improve our traditional health care delivery not only because of COVID – 19, but for other medical challenges too. We have heard how when western scientific medicine failed to provide effective solution to the problem, herbal medicine rather worked effectively on this novel corona virus with appreciable breakthrough. This paper has evaluated the ethical effects of negligence and stigmatization of African traditional medical practice over the years to essentially seek and provide contextual solution to the various medical challenges affecting African people, such that could be used in the treatment of some diseases ailments such as; cough, fever, headache, poison from bites, skin diseases and other infections, perhaps, because of the techniques used during preparation by the traditional healers. The researcher discovered that, the advancement of orthodoxy healing techniques and globalization have stigmatized and endangered the vitality of the traditional healing techniques which were derived from shrines and sacred places used to provide solution to difficult disease ailments. The paper recommends urgent need for African medical scientist to corroborate with the orthodox trained doctors for application of their medical talents from the two diametrical angles to come up with solution for treatment of different diseases.