The socio-cultural context and practical implications of ethnoveterinary medical pluralism in western Kenya
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Date
2008Author
Nyamanga, PA
Suda, Collette
Aagaard-Hansen, J
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
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This article discusses ethnoveterinary medical pluralism in Western Kenya. Qualitative methods of data collection such as key informant interviews, open-ended in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), narratives, and participant and direct observations were applied. The study shows that farmers in Nyang’oma seek both curative and preventive medical services for their animals from the broad range of health care providers available to them within a pluralistic medical system. Kleinman’s model of medical pluralism, which describes the professional, folk, and popular sectors, informs this discussion because of its relevance and appropriateness to the study. It is, however, important to note the overlap in the three sectors and to point out that livestock farmers engage in multiple “consultations” based on a combination of their own characteristics and the cost, availability and specialization of health care providers. The study concludes by recognizing the complexity of ethnoveterinary medical pluralism and calls for the integration of a pluralistic perspective into the planning and implementation of animal health care interventions and services
URI
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10460-008-9141-1http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/38504
Citation
Agriculture and Human Values December 2008, Volume 25, Issue 4, pp 513-527Publisher
Springer Netherlands Institute Of Anthropology, Gender And African Studies, University of Nairobi
Subject
Ethnoveterinary medicineHealth care system
Livestock
Medical pluralism
Perceptions
Practices