User:Howard C. Berkowitz/African Traditional Medicine

While Africa has an extremely wide range of cultures, certain principles tend to recur in African Traditional Medicine

One common principle is ubuntu.In the context of traditional medicine, it makes the community as important the individual(s) treated. Its principles -- collectivism; solidarity; communitarianism; consensus; the sharing of opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges; the honest appreciation of differences; participation in decision-making and leadership; and reconciliation as a goal of conflict management -- make it impossible to separate the needs of the community from the needs of the individual.

""Research is about satisfying the need to know and extending the boundaries of knowledge," Dr. Mulaudzi said. "Would data collected based on indigenous knowledge systems be viewed by researchers as evidence-based? No. Then perhaps the question should be, What is evidence?" Researchers Can Apply Ubuntu for Better Results

In Dr. Mulaudzi's view, a researcher's first step should be to consider those being researched -- she deplores calling them nameless "subjects" or "respondents" -- as a vital part of the process from its inception. Research, she said, is based on matching a problem with the appropriate set of investigative methods. When community members are not consulted, researchers risk misidentifying the problem to be investigated.

"What about problems experienced by the community itself? If participants are involved from the beginning in terms of dialogue and earning their trust, the researcher may come up with a different problem, rather than one derived from imposing his own beliefs and assumptions on the researched," she said.

When the study concludes, researchers must share what they learned with the researched and their communities. "To what extent do researchers return to the involved communities and allow their research participants to critically reflect on the findings?" Dr. Mulaudzi asked. "To what extent can participants claim ownership of the findings? Ubuntu involves viewing participants, not donors or researchers, as the beneficiaries of the research."

Under the principles of ubuntu, the community should benefit from any financial gain that arises from the research as well. She pointed to research in HIV/AIDS as an example of why those who fund research should not dictate how those funds must be used.

"Africa's knowledge may be used as a tool to liberate Africans from poverty. Funders are spending huge amounts of money on HIV/AIDS research, but how much are communities benefiting?" she asked. Based on Nolan's committee principles, Dr. Mulaudzi sees 7 duties and obligations of researchers applying the philosophy of ubuntu:

1. Selflessness: Decisions should be based solely in terms of community interest, rather than for financial gain or academic promotion.

2. Objectivity: Decisions and choices must be based on merit.

3. Accountability: Researchers are accountable for their actions and decisions, and community scrutiny is appropriate.

4. Integrity: Researchers should not place themselves under any obligations to individuals or organizations that might influence their performance.

5. Openness: Researchers should be as open as possible, giving reasons for actions and restricting information only when the wider community demands it.

6. Honesty: Researchers have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their duties and to take steps to resolves any conflicts in order to protect the public interest.

7. Leadership: Researchers should promote and support these principles through their own example.

Dr. Mulaudzi encouraged researchers worldwide to "honor and respect those who help give us knowledge, and let us acknowledge that the world has the opportunity for improvement through what they do."