by Saffie Chirambo, Malawi Medical Humanities Network Project Assistant
On December 20th, 2024, the Medical Humanities Project: Collaboration, Crossover and Community Care under the MMHN at MUST held a productive foundational and creative Internal Workshop.
The primary objective of this event was to build capacity among stakeholders in the academia specifically staff and students from diverse fields in health. Arts and humanities by highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary approach collaboration, by unveiling the potential of this approach, the MMHN is fostering a richer understanding of medical humanities and its impact on healthcare.
The project aims at strengthening the medical sector by discovering holistic and innovative solutions to health care challenges through networking and collaborative efforts.enganging in research and community awareness initiatives that addresses real-world health challenges.
One of the keynote speakers, Dr. Chisomo Kalinga, the principal Investigator for the project, emphasized on the network as a creative space needed to be built with diverse ideas, promote the sensitization on the role of community in medical awareness, hence significance need of engagement and communication to overcome fear.
She also highlighted the need of serious attention to be given to diseases such as cervical cancer which disproportionately affects women through dissemination of accurate information.
The workshop also underscored the significance of exploring the intersection of culture and medicine as well as employing sustainable initiatives to promote medical humanities.
According to Dr. Atikonda Mtenje-Mkochi one of the speakers and the co-principal investigator, the initiative will establish a network that converges on cultural and medical aspects, fostering a comprehensive approach to healthcare.
Ms. Saffie Loncy Chirambo , the project Assistant presented on the overview of the projects plans, including the development of a Munda hub.
The innovative platform will serve as a forum for youths and adult scholars to explore the relationship between culture and Medicine.
Notably, the Munda hub will feature herbal medicine, discovering and promoting the proper use of locally available medicine; developing conventional medicine and showcasing a diverse array of local herbs.
The workshop was participated by MUST staff and students who engaged in lively discussion and interactive games. The gaps in health care, health challenges were anticipated hence a need for different scholars, communities and other stakeholders to collaboratively research and engage.
The event was further spiced by performances like poem recitals on cervical cancer awareness from MUST students, adding a creative touch to the proceedings.
The Medical Humanities Network project has the potential to drive transformative changes in the medical sector particularly in the realm of community-based healthcare.
By emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity, medical awareness and sustainable practices, this initiative can contribute significantly to improving health outcomes in both local communities.
by By Saffie Loncy Chirambo, Project assistant (Malawi Medical Humanities Network) Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST)
Traditional health care practitioners often feel marginalized by clinicians, as Akol et al. (2018) highlighted, citing perceptions of them as unclean, untidy, and inadequately educated. However, Malawi possesses a wealth of herbal plants and a network of knowledgeable traditional healers and midwives (Nyirenda C. P., & Maliwichi L, 2010, Chisamile w. & Sunobare M. , 2023). With an established communal trust between scientists and traditional practitioners, Malawi stands poised to produce complementary medicines and innovative medical solutions rooted in indigenous knowledge.
Herbal remedies like; Sopa (fertility ropes), Tseketseke, Esinati, Chiswabumbu, Gondolosi, and Mvunguti prescribed by traditional healers are widely recognized for their effectiveness in treating reproductive health issues in men and women. Despite their widespread use, these remedies lack systematic validation. Reproductive health remains a critical area of medical research, especially in contexts where traditional medicine plays a vital role.
Harmonizing conventional medical practices and tradition is an emerging interdisciplinary scientific approach that seeks to integrate the wisdom and practices through generations of cultures with cutting-edge scientific research and innovations to address maternal issues from environmental sustainability to healthcare, while respecting and preserving cultural diversity. Professor Fanuel Lampiao, of Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS). Serving as the Chairperson of the KUHeS Laboratory Development Committee and Deputy Director of the Africa Center of Excellence in Public Health and Herbal Medicine, Prof. Lampiao has dedicated over a decade to validating the efficacy of traditional medicines, particularly in reproductive health.
Prof. Lampiao’s recent presentation at the 2024 Cultural Festival Symposium at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), titled “Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices,” underscored the importance of integrating cultural practices with scientific methodologies. His work explores the efficacy, safety and standardization of orally transmitted traditional medicines, focusing on their role in addressing reproductive health challenges for both sexes.
Notable Research Highlights
Mondia whitei (gondolosi): This plant, renowned for its fertility-enhancing properties in males, has long been used in traditional settings. Prof. Lampiao’s research delves into its bioactive compounds, aiming to transform anecdotal evidence into scientifically validated therapies. -Acacia nilotica: In his quest to develop male contraceptives, Prof. Lampiao is investigating this plant as a groundbreaking alternative to conventional methods, addressing a critical gap in male-focused reproductive healthcare. -Cissampelos mucronate : Commonly used as a labor-inducing agent, this plant offers potential as a safe and effective solution for childbirth, particularly in areas with limited access to modern obstetric care.
The Broader Implications
This research is transformative, combining cultural reverence for improved traditional medicinal practices through clinical trials and refining process, by doing so, it validates indigenous knowledge, opening pathways for culturally relevant and sustainable healthcare solutions. Prof. Lampiao’s work not only strengthens the scientific community’s understanding of traditional medicine but also fosters trust between traditional healers and researchers.
Furthermore, his leadership roles at KUHeS demonstrate a commitment to laboratory development and advancing public health through herbal medicine. His contributions highlight the untapped potential within Malawi’s plant species, which could yield treatments for fertility (Dioscorea bulbifera), epilepsy (Margaritaria discoidea) and other medical conditions
Moving Forward
The path forward requires further exploring the pharmacological properties of these plants, establishing a robust framework for integrating traditional remedies into mainstream healthcare and expanding to human trials. By investing in such research, Malawi can position itself as a leader in complementary medicine, improving healthcare outcomes and addressing socio-economic challenges.
In conclusion, Prof. Lampiao’s work exemplifies the power of blending tradition and innovation. It not only enhances reproductive health solutions but also paves the way for holistic, inclusive medical advancements. This journey serves as a beacon for the global health community, demonstrating that cultural heritage and scientific progress can thrive together.
The Nigerian Health Historians Network would like to invite you to participate in our seminar on Traditional Medicine in Africa.
Speakers and topics are:
Spiritualism and Healing in African Traditional Medical Practice in the 21st Century- Dr Obafemi Jegede, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan
Religious Faiths: An Historical Discourse on its Role on Traditional Medicine in Africa– Dr Akinmayowa Akin-Otiko, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, (IADS) University of Lagos.
Date &Time: Aug 11, 2023, 5pm to 6.45pm Nigerian Time
Call for Papers African Contributions to Global Health Concluding conference of the SNSF Sinergia Project Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS), Abidjan
12-14 September 2023
African countries have always been the site of medical and health innovations – be it in terms of vernacular bodies of knowledge on health and healing, novel health policies and practices, clinical research and trials, innovative health insurance schemes, or epidemics control measures, among many others. However, scholarly and policy discourse on innovation and the broader theme of global health still tends to see lower-income countries as adapting new developments from the West, often with some delay. The interdisciplinary Sinergia project ‘African Contributions to Global Health’,1 funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), has been challenging these unidirectional models and their underlying assumptions. Based at three different Swiss research institutions, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, and the University of Basel, the members of our consortium have explored questions of health-related knowledge circulation – and noncirculation – from various fields of public health, urban planning, and history. We examine bodies of Knowledge, practices and applications that were designed for improving healthcare in Africa but have become relevant to questions of health globally or have the potential to do so. At the same time, we highlight that ‘learning from the South’ must mean more than transplanting quick and cheap technological fixes to serve societies in the global North. With this concluding conference, the project seeks to debate and refine its research results, and to stimulate and expand ongoing discussions on Africa’s role in the production of health-related knowledge, public health policy, and medical innovation. We invite contributions by researchers from various disciplines and career stages, as well as by health professionals and policy experts. The conference will commence on the morning of 12 September 2023 at the headquarters of the CSRS in Abidjan. During the two and a half conference days (until the afternoon of 14 September), the contributors will present and discuss their findings with the audience in thematically organised, interdisciplinary panels. The conference will be held in English. A limited number of travel grants are available.
To propose a paper, please submit an abstract (maximum 500 words) to Kai Herzog (kai.herzog@unibas.ch) by 31 March 2023. We will get back to you with our decision by 21 April. For more information on the project, its themes, and partners, please consult our website www.globalhealthafrica.ch. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us. Julia Tischler (Project PI) and Kai Herzog (scientific coordinator) University of Basel
1 See Danelle van Zyl-Hermann, Tanja Hammel, Christian Burri, Jérôme Chenal, Günther Fink, Akuto Akpedze Konou, Eric Nébié, Doris Osei Afriyie, Vitor Pessoa Colombo, Jürg Utzinger & Julia Tischler (2022): Examining African contributions to global health: Reflections on knowledge circulation and innovation, Global Public Health, DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2118343 for an overview of the project.
‘Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, & that is an act of political warfare.”—Audre Lorde
As in other parts of the world, across the African continent, a variety of pathways to health and healing are available for those who fall ill or want to ensure wellbeing. The landscape of health and wellbeing is vast and caters to myriad experiences. However, dominant perceptions of healthcare in Africa portray it either in terms of failure, disrepair, chaos and disappointment, or as agentic creative refashioning under such circumstances. Little attention is paid, within scholarly research, to the joy that accompanies pursuing or achieving health and wellbeing.
The Southern and Eastern African Medical and Health Humanities network (SEAMHH), a regional network of Medical and Health Humanities Africa (MHHA) is hosting an interdisciplinary symposium: “Finding Joy in Healthcare in Africa”. The symposium is the first of many engagements, which will be led by our partners, the Malawi Medical Humanities Network (MHHN) in collaboration with The Art of Health (South Africa). This inaugural event is devoted to how joy is considered in the provision, rituals, practices, behaviour, and interventions that accompany healthcare. The symposium will focus on temporal perspectives—past, present and future—that engage how healthcare practitioners, health systems and people seeking healthcare in Africa approach issues of joy, trust, confidence, or comfort at individual, familial, community or national levels. The aim is to challenge the now-taken-for-granted idea that health and healthcare systems are sources of trauma and a site for saviourism. Instead, we encourage a critical and/or creative reconsideration of the dynamic concepts of care, wellbeing and health-seeking behaviour.
In this symposium, we invite artists, activists, health practitioners and academics to re-imagine health and healthcare in Africa. The symposium offers mixed formats and will include workshops, academic papers, discussion forums and two keynote addresses.
Please send your expression of interest for participation to findingjoyconference@gmail.com by Wed. 4 August 2021. The event will introduce key themes to be further explored in our forthcoming ‘Finding Joy’ research, which focuses on developing practical tools that aim to make the healthcare experience more positive across various health sectors.
SEAMHH is preparing a special issue on the theme, which we plan to submit to British Medical Journal – Medical Humanities. We anticipate that the completed special edition will launch in June 2024.
