Omololu B, Ogunlade S O, Alonge T O
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.
West Afr J Med. 2002 Oct-Dec;21(4):335-7. doi: 10.4314/wajm.v21i4.28014.
Traditional bone setters are rampant in the West African subregion but the atrocities committed by them have never been reported hence the need for this article that deals with the menace caused by them. All patients referred to the University College Hospital between 1996 and 2001 were included in this study. Only a few number of the patients have been selected just to illustrate the menace caused by the traditional bonesetters in so many African societies. The deformities, financial loss and amputations resulting from the management by traditional bonesetters have been highlighted. Suggestions are made on how to improve awareness in the way of adequate communications through televisions, radio and the press. Much need to be done in the society as it was found in the study that poverty or lack of education alone is not the major cause of the society seeking the help of the traditional healers, but probably the culture and traditional beliefs of the society.
传统接骨师在西非次区域十分猖獗，但他们犯下的暴行从未被报道过，因此有必要撰写本文来探讨他们所造成的威胁。1996年至2001年间转诊至大学学院医院的所有患者都被纳入了本研究。仅挑选了少数患者以说明传统接骨师在众多非洲社会中所造成的威胁。文中强调了传统接骨师的治疗方式所导致的畸形、经济损失和截肢情况。针对如何通过电视、广播和报纸进行充分宣传以提高人们的认识提出了建议。研究发现，社会贫困或缺乏教育并非人们寻求传统治疗师帮助的主要原因，可能主要是社会的文化和传统信仰，因此社会在这方面还有很多工作要做。
