By Dale King Tiny bottles filled with a liquid that promises to alleviate the life-threatening symptoms of a deadly disease that’s grown into a worldwide pandemic in barely a year have finally arrived in South Florida. The study has provided empirical evidence to establish that faith healing users have positive and welcoming attitudes toward faith healers. As the dignity, safety and wellbeing of the interviewees were a matter of primary concern to the researchers, participation in the study was strictly voluntary, and no identifying or sensitive information were recorded. They expressed that many people within their communities do not respect their choice of healing modality and looked down on them as many people perceive the use of ancestral homes and Islamic faith healers [Malams] as a sin. Guba EG, Lincoln YS. Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya, You can also search for this author in And local authorities must rise to their duties and responsibilities. The study established that patients who utilized faith healing services particularly those who visit spiritualists and oracles more often than not did not receive respect from their neigbours and community members because they were tagged as sinners and non-believers of Jesus Christ. Out of the 9 who were using all the three faiths, 4 were Christians, 2 were Muslims with the remaining 3 belonging to the Traditional faith. The 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa was the “largest, most severe and most complex Ebola epidemic” in history, according to the World Health Organization.More than 28,000 people were infected, and over 11,000 people died before the international public health emergency ended in June 2016.Most of the cases occurred in three countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. This current study, therefore, aims at exploring the attitudes and health perceptions of faith healing users among adult population in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. Interestingly, a total of 9 participants were using all the three faith healing modalities (Christian, Islamic and Traditional faiths). One, it is noted as a multi-ethnic geographical area with varied socio-demographic and cultural characteristics of the population. Consistent with the study findings, Leonard [39] argued that faith healing users see the communication between traditional healers and their patients is better compared with formal healthcare providers. Immortal Wins: India Defeats Fortress Australia. She recommended this place because my friend was healed of the same disease I am suffering from. There is plenty of room for progress, and as healers and caregivers, hospitals and health systems have a special role to play in helping to realize Dr. King’s dream of a truly just society. AFAW urges African governments to explore ways of improving evidence-based mental health care in the region. In this study, a faith healer was tailored as a professed Christian, Islamist or Traditional spiritualist who heals by application of faith mostly through prayer, fasting, holy water, ointments and medicinal plants. 1997;315:473–6. If he says I should seek formal healthcare then I go, if he says I would be healed through faith, I believe so. The journey of a person suffering from mental illness is not an easy one, especially when there are many strong social stigmas attached to the condition. But they end up suffering abuses and further health damage. et al. 1983;6:185–210. This was incorrectly captured as Razak M. Gyasi Mohammed in the original article which has since been updated. Complement Therap in Med. It is also classified as a semi-deciduous forest landscape with abundant medicinal plant for the treatment of diseases. She was married for about six years without a child. Atlanta: Public Health Practice Program Office; 1999. Some of the participants mentioned that faith healers serve as their source of spiritual knowledge and interpretation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Nigeria due to COVID-19. The present study explored the attitudes and health perceptions of faith healing users in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. The findings of the study reflect the perspectives of the perspectives of the participants on attitudes towards faith healers, time of consult of faith healers, perceived effectiveness of faith healing and challenges associated with faith healing in the Ghanaian context. Covid has done nothing to reassure the public faith in health care if anything it has divided people as to how motivated the industry of medicine and pharmaceuticals is governed by greed and politics. All the users have a great deal of knowledge about faith healing. Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease. Data credibility and rigor was enhanced through prolonged engagement with participants; each interview lasted approximately 60 min  and was supported by field observations and the participants’ checks and validation. 1999. https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v4i2.356. Here, prayer and fasting were not mostly used by the healers. Some countries have mental hospitals, but they lack equipment or facilities. I do so for the purpose of ascertaining the origin of the sickness, it be natural or spiritually-motivated. On the curing, we observed several things that go through the process from the centres. One Christian faith user similarly noted that: I can say my health status is very good. It is believed that the understanding of the attitudes and health perceptions of faith healing among users' is critical  following the escalating use of faith healing modality in Ghana. What is the real motivation of Mahama’s petition? By using this website, you agree to our The decision of patients to choose on provider over the other is premised on effective communication, good interpersonal relationships, carefully listening to patients, being caring, perceived competence and showing compassion [33, 36]. Hence, these indicators play a key role in motivating users to choose one provider over the other [33]. In: Ritchie J, Lewis J, editors. CDC/ATSDR Forum: Engaging Faith Communities as Partners in Improving Community Health (pp. J Nat Med Assoc. 2016;6:230–6. Otieno LS, McLigeyo SO, Luta M. Acute renal failure following the use of herbal remedies. 1996;147:58. CAS  Though they do not physically see the ancestors who are believed to be the healers unlike Christian faith users who mostly have direct contact with the healers, traditional faith healing users believe that the ancestors hear, listen and act upon their requests accordingly, after performing the needed rites: To me, faith healing is believing in our ancestors that they can heal, after pouring of libation and performing other rites. Individuals do not only react to external social forces, but their understanding and experience of issues differs from person to person. Faith healing is very safe and effective. Mental health hospitals are few in the region. This finding implies that most users often experienced positive improvements in their health status after they had visited and taken the prescriptions by the healer. Satcher D. Opening address. Reiki’s healing touch also has precedent. Gyasi RM, Agyemang-Duah W, Mensah CM, Arthur F, Torkornoo R, Amoah PA. Therefore, the present findings invite further studies involving quantitative and mixed method designs in this arena to provide more nuances into the debate. According to a BBC report, the police in Uganda arrested the pastor and rescued many people held at the church. First, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind that explores the attitude and health perception of faith healing users in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. I must tell you that I have healed so many people with different health issues including psychiatric issues through faith. We have so many ways that diseases come to affect the human body. Although faith clinicians seem to be filling the gaps in the health sector, they are making the health situation worse because faith healers lack the capacity and competence to deliver effective health care services. Kale R. Traditional healers in South Africa: a parallel health care system. Four main criteria were used in the selection process: the centre being a faith healing church; being a non-church faith healing centre; being in existence for more than ten years and; being popular to the general population. The effectiveness of faith healing made people recommend to others who are suffering from a similar health problem: I got to know this place through a friend. Turning to prayer: social and situational antecedents of religious coping among African Americans. By Robert S Weinroth During an afternoon news conference at the Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center on January 7, County Mayor Dave Kerner updated residents on the current state of vaccination within Palm Beach County. The present study proffers an important contribution to address the existing gap in knowledge and also probes Ghana’s health policy framework on a potential regulation of faith healing. This has become necessary because faith healing practice is an important area but remains neglected in the health care literature. Cancellation of Crossover-Night-Illuminati Arrests Winners, Dr Bawumia to lead the NPP; Northerners & Zongos are watchin, Don't Sit Down to Allow the History of 31st December 1981 to, Revealing: Joseph Anokye, the Architect of Election results. Balboni TA, Paulk ME, Balboni MJ. The healers also agreed with users on the perceived effectiveness of using faith for healing. Overall, 14 males (3 healers and 11 users) and 26 females (1 healer and 25 users) took part in the study. Defining priorities for improving end-of-life care in Canada. The holistic treatment approach of faith healing was the main reason for seeking health service from faith healers. To the healers, faith is the master healer hence, mentioned some specific cases of illness that have been healed by them through the application faith: Mostly, many people do not believe in the healing power of faith until they have their own experiences. African traditional medicine is a form of holistic health care system organized into three levels of specialty, namely divination, spiritualism, and herbalism. Also, sources of faith healing information, effectiveness, challenges and patients’ time of consult have been explored in this study. Because, the prayer and the ointment do not heal one sickness but many sickness. This result is in line with other previous study by Levin et al. The author has 353 publications published on Modern Ghana.Column: LeoIgwe, Disclaimer: "The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Modern Ghana. Watters W. Deadly doctrine: health, illness, and Christian god-talk. One major concern raised by the participants was related to the stigmatisation and victimisation. In addition, participants who were once admitted at formal healthcare facilities before visiting faith healers considered their recovery process as faster compared to when they were at the formal health care facilities. It was further observed that the lethargic attitude of healers to administer referrals centered on both theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the faith healing modality system. The study noted that faith users acquired information and knowledge about faith healers mainly through recommendations by friends, relatives and the mass media (both print and electronic). It affects the brain and cannot be cured by faith healers or a tantrik. What has faith got to do with it? However, most of the participants had witnessed significant improvement in their health status since they started using faith healing services for curing and preventing disease. And where there are equipment and personnel, the cost of mental health services is out of reach for the local population. As a results, the Christian faith users explained that consulting a faith healer who is “a man of God” on health issues in the first place is appropriate and required by any person who “truly” professed a Christian faith: Mostly, I first consult my pastor on my health issues before taking it to the hospital upon his recommendation. It emerged from the interview that the healers encourage users to consult them first before seeking medical care upon their recommendations and instructions. Prevalence and socio demographic correlates of spiritual healer use: findings from the National Survey of American life. AIDS Care. Ritchie J, Spencer L, O'Connor W. Carrying out qualitative analysis. Most of the participants expressed good attitudes toward faith healers more than conventional medicine practitioners. He signed […] J Complement Altern Med. They see me as an unbeliever, sinner and devil. These provide a diversity of healing choices at the disposal of the community members for their health care requirements in the Metropolis. This helped the authors to do clear and detailed analysis [26]. Setswe G. The role of traditional healers and primary health care in South Africa. Thus, more people are also likely to get to know about faith healers and thereby use their services for healthcare. 2004;21:484–91. Similarly, Pascoe [34] added that information about users’ satisfaction helps to measure the quality of the service and further serves as a predictor of health-related behaviour of patients. In treating patients, faith healers view health and diseases through the integration of mind, body and spirit largely within the context of family and community [8]. They do not have the power of healing that Jesus possessed. Specific evidences were given by participants regarding the challenges of faith healing use. Two aggregated sets of participants were included in this study, these were faith healing users (n = 36), and healers (n = 4). Concerning faith healers, I see them to be the leaders who pray, guide and direct us whenever we are sick. Informed consent was obtained from the participants by agreeing orally to participate in the study. Wardwell WI. Levin J. It was recognised that faith healers offer to users a few services including prayers for curing and preventing of diseases that emanate from both physical and spiritual realms. We are also grateful to our language editor in the person of Mr. Bismark Edusei. If the first Gulf War in 1990-91 was when Americans relearned respect for military service personnel, and the attacks of September 11, 2001 reminded us of the bravery of firefighters, Leonard K. African traditional healers: the economics of healing. 2011;23:851–8. It is about time people understand people’s choice of healing. 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