Indigenous Knowledge and the Art of Bone-Setting: the Case of Tauma in Bodinga LGA, Sokoto State, Nigeria
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EAS Journal of Orthopaedic and Physiotherapy Abbreviated Key Title: EAS J Orthop Physiother ISSN 2663-0974 (Print) | ISSN 2663-8320 (Online) Published By East African Scholars Publisher, Kenya Volume-2 | Issue-1 | Jan-Feb, 2020 | DOI: 10.36349/EASJOP.2020.v02i01.02 Research Article Indigenous Knowledge and the Art of Bone-Setting: The Case of Tauma in Bodinga LGA, Sokoto State, Nigeria 1 *2 3 4 Abubakar G. Fada , Ismaila Aliyu Mustapha Sani and Abubakar Yusuf 1,2,&4Department of Geography, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria 3Department of Geography Sokoto State University, Nigeria Abstract: The art of treating injuries has been practiced since time immemorial. Article History Traditional-bone setting has been widely practiced in many countries of the world Received: 24.01.2020 despite its challenges when compared with orthodox practice. This study examines the Accepted: 06.02.2020 practice and why people patronize Tauma Traditional Bone Centre in Bodinga local Published: 28.02.2020 Government Area. A total of 52 patients were purposely selected for interviews using Journal homepage: close and open ended questions, and key formant interview was conducted with the https://www.easpublisher.com/easjop leader of the Centre. The data collected were subjected to simple descriptive statistics specifically frequency analysis. The findings indicated that 87% of respondents were Quick Response Code males who patronize the Centre and major reason because of the low cost of the services rendered, other rationale are cultural belief and quick accessibility. The study revealed that about 52% of patients have cases of fracture or dislocation on their legs. Further analysis shows that about 81% of the patients received their treatment by means of supplication. The study concluded that Tauma traditional bone has contributed tremendously in treating many orthopedic cases. Therefore, government at all level should provide basic and necessary facilities to the Centre so as to continue offering the service to the communities. Keywords: Traditional Bone Setting, Treatment, Facilities, Cultural belief. Copyright @ 2020: This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non commercial use (NonCommercial, or CC-BY-NC) provided the original author and source are credited. of TBS by many Africans among which include NTRODUCTION I availability and accessibility to modern orthopedic The practice of traditional bone-setting (TBS) facilities, cost and fear of amputation at the orthodox has been in existent since time immemorial. Despite medical centers and the belief that every disease or advances in science and technology, and a high number accidents/misfortunes has a spiritual undertone of doctors (Orthopedics), the method of traditional (Kuubiere, et al, 2013). bone-setting in treatment is still common in developing countries like Nigeria and India, when compared with The practice of traditional bone-setting is the developed nations (Abdul et al, 2017). The reasons widely accepted in most countries of the world, and popularity are due to availability, cost although the name and art may vary from place to effectiveness, familiarity and cultural acceptance. place.(Agarwal, 2010). However, accurate statistics Traditional bone-setting treatment runs in families about the traditional bone-setting, distribution or their without proper documentation. The World Health numbers are unavailable in most countries. Many Organization (2002) describes traditional bone-setting scholars have looked into the prospects and challenges as those health practices, approaches, knowledge and of the traditional bone-setting (Elujoba et.al. 2005). In beliefs that incorporate plant, animal and mineral-based Nigeria, with the high frequency of accidents recorded medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and every day on federal highways, the traditional care exercises, applied singularly or in combination to givers still remain popular despite the high level of diagnose and treat fracture and dislocation cases in education and the existence of modern health care human body. According to Paramvir et al (2013), about facilities (Orjioke, 2005). 10 – 40% of the patients with fractures and dislocations in the world are managed by the unorthodox A number of traditional medical practitioners practitioners of bone-setting practice. In Sub-Saharan had existed long before the advent of the orthodox Africa, over 80% of the people rely on medicinal plants medical practice introduced to the developing world and traditional medicines for their primary health care, (Hoff, 1997) , such as herbalists, bone-setters, including fractures (Bannerman et al, 1993). Several spiritualists, magicians and religious practitioners who reasons have been attributed to the continued patronage *Corresponding Author: Ismaila Aliyu Email: Ismaila Aliyu [at] udusok.edu.ng 6 Abubakar G. Fada et al., EAS J Orthop Physiother; Vol-2, Iss-1 (Jan-Feb, 2020): 6-12 provided services as traditional healers and bone- manipulation and massaging, fomentation of the site, setters. Contemporarily, both orthodox and traditional application of herbal creams with or without medicines are coexisting side by side and both are scarification, immobilization of the fracture by use of patronized by patients (Owoseni and Ibikunle 2015). splints and bandaging. It is against this background that They confirmed that the traditional bone-setters enjoy this study examined the characteristics of patients and more confidence and patronage from people than any the traditional bone setting methods being used in other group of traditional care-givers. treating patients with fractures and dislocations in Tauma village of Bodinga Local Government Area of Bodinga traditional bone-setters play an Sokoto. important role in handling a significant number of fracture cases for patients from various parts of the TUDY REA country, and its neighboring countries, particularly S A Niger Republic. Unfortunately, there is very little or no Bodinga Local Government Area (LGA) lies between latitudes 12o42’00’N to 12o’48’00 N and documentation about this healing center, despite its o o contribution to health care delivery in the society by Longitudes 5 00’00’ E to 5 19’08’E. it shares making members who have fractures regain their health boundaries with Tureta LGA to the south east, Shagari conditions. According to Aneikan and Rechard (2011), LGA at the south, Yabo LGA at the west, Wamakko LGA at the north and Dange Shuni to the east (see the practice of bone-setting may differ from one 2 geographical location to another, but certain Figure 1) with the total land mass of 564 km and a characteristics are common to all. The practitioners are total population of 174,302 (NPC 2006) approximately uneducated or barely educated, and they rely so much from the state Capital to the study area is around 27km. on experience and spiritual intuition. The practice is Traditional bone setting (TBS) is a known procedure usually preserved as a family practice and then passed among Africans and it involves use of splints and from father to son. Training is via apprenticeship where bamboo stick or rattan cane or palm leaf axis with by interesting individuals outside the family can cotton thread or old cloth (Dada, 2011). This also acquire their skills. Records are usually kept through applicable in the study area. The cultural background of oral traditions and although the practice differs slightly the people whereby the patronized traditional medicine among cultures, it is generally similar ( Aneikan and also contribute to activities taken place at Tauma Rechard, 2011). The process proceeds with making a traditional bone setting center. diagnosis, through reduction of the fracture by Figure 1: Study Area © East African Scholars Publisher, Kenya 7 Abubakar G. Fada et al., EAS J Orthop Physiother; Vol-2, Iss-1 (Jan-Feb, 2020): 6-12 MATERIALS AND METHODS PRESENTATION OF RESULT The study made use of primary data generated The findings show that male patients on from a purposively selected sample of 52 patients with admission accounted for about 88.5% (46) and females various complicated cases ranges from dislocation and about 11.5% (6) [see Table 1]. The high number of fracture using key formant interview with the leader of male cases reported may be attributed to the hazardous the centre and open ended questionnaires administered nature of occupational activities of the men. Activities on the patients. The data collected from administered such as small scale mining, hunting and trading which questionnaires were analyzed using simple descriptive involve the use of vehicle, bicycles, motor cycles and statistics and result presented using the bar graph. cars expose men more to occupational accidents that could lead to sustaining of fractures or dislocations. Table 1. Gender of the Respondents Gender Frequency Percent (%) Male 46 88.5 Female 06 11.5 Total 52 100.0 Source: Field work 2018 Table 2 indicates respondents with Islamic education implies that people around the study area patronize are highest 57.7%, primary education 23.1%, while religious knowledge a lot, being the seat of caliphate. those who attended secondary education constitute Another reason the low level of western education 11.5%, and tertiary 7.7% respectively. This analysis compared to other parts of the country. Table 2 Educational Background Frequency Percent (%)