Abstract |
The biomedical model, which is the predominant model in the Cameroon health-care system since the 1960s, has not been successful in conquering the population’s trust; the population is still quite loyal to traditional practices. In such a context, the State cannot successfully transmit preventive and educational messages solely by means of health professionals. This chapter describes two non-governmental organisations that overcome this challenge, namely, WESDE and PROSENAT. Their conception of sanitary risks is described, as well as practices they undertake, and put forth in order to raise people’s awareness and educate them. Individual interviews were conducted with nine health professionals (nonphysicians) of WESDE, all trained accordingly to the biomedical approach, and ten of PROSENAT, namely, four doctors and six traditional therapists. Thematic analyses were then carried out on the data. Furthermore, the practice of the six traditional therapists was observed. While the biomedical approach strictly prioritises material means to ensure health and environment safety, this study demonstrates the importance of utilising rituals and spiritual means, which are ignored by doctors. In contrast, the health professionals of WESDE hold a reflection on the dissemination of information, more particularly about the means of translating such messages, and on the importance of taking into account the relationship with targeted people and the contexts in which these people evolve. |