Traditional maternal and child health care and related problems in the Sahel, a bibliographic study

EXCERPTS FROM A SUMMARY OF POINTS IN THE ESSAY: ANTHROPOLOGY AND MEDICINE MUST UNITE IN THE SAHEL. A FIRST PRIORITY IN THE REGION IS A SOCIOECONOMIC AND MEDICAL CONSIDERATION OF THE LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF THE DROUGHT. THE AGRICULTURAL NEEDS OF THE URBAN CENTERS, IMPOSED ON THE RURAL AREAS, HAS HAD DETRIMENTAL NUTRITIONAL REPERCUSSIONS ON THE TRADITIONAL POPULATIONS. MALNUTRITION AND MARASMUS ARE THE CAUSES OF MANY DISEASES IN THE RURAL SAHEL, AND ARE DEBILITATING TO THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL GROWTH OF THE CHILD. MEASLES AND MENINGITIS ARE AMONG THE MANY DISEASES CAUSING INFANT MORTALITY. BETTER RURAL NUTRITION IS ESSENTIAL, AND MUST BE ADDRESSED IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PLANNING. FAILURES OF PAST NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES AND PROJECTS NEED TO BE ANALYZED. FOOD FOR BABIES SHOULD BE LOCALLY MANUFACTURED. STERILITY IS A PERSONAL AND SOCIAL CALAMITY; ITS CAUSES NEED TO BE STUDIED. FOOD TABOOS IN RELATION TO PREGNANT WOMEN INCREASE THEIR STATE OF ANEMIA AND MALNUTRITION. DIFFICULT BIRTH DELIVERIES ARE COMMON. THE HIGH RATE OF INFANT MORTALITY IS DUE OFTEN TO TETANUS OF THE UMBILICAL CORD. MEDICAL MALPRACTICE EXISTS IN THE SAHEL, WHETHER FROM CARELESSNESS, MISTRAINING, CHARLATANISM, OR IGNORANCE. THE MATRONE (A WOMAN PAST MENOPAUSE) PLAYS AN IMPORTANT SOCIO-RELIGIOUS ROLE IN MOST OF THE AFRICAN SOCIETIES; THEY NEED TO BE TRAINED IN HEALTH CARE TECHNIQUES. THE ANEMIA OF LACTATING MOTHERS MUST BE TREATED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE BABIES THE BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING.