CONTRIBUTION OF TRADITIONAL BONESETTERS IN THE PRIMARY HEALTH DELIVERY SYSTEM IN TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the contribution of traditional bone setting in primary health care in the Tamale Metropolis. The study was a cross sectional descriptive study using mixed methods of data collections. Purposive and Snow Ball sampling techniques were adopted. Eight (8) traditional bone setters were interviewed. In all, forty (40) in-patients as well as thirty (30) out-patients were interviewed. Additionally, ten (10) health care providers were interviewed. Findings of the study indicated that perception on quality of care by traditional bone setters among the entire category of respondents was judged to be high. On treatment outcome, 66.6% indicated that they were fully treated, 16.6% indicated that they were partially treated whiles 16.8% said they developed complications after the treatment. With pain management, majority of the TBS said they do not give pain medication. On the part of the challenges confronting TBS, inadequate accommodation for patients, inadequate funds, difficulty in accessing herbs and poor record keeping were identified. Almost all the respondents supported the need for collaboration between traditional bone setters and modern health care practitioners. This study therefore concludes that the contribution of the TBS is very beneficial among the people since majority of the patients who received their service indicated that they were fully recovered. It was recommended that, there is the need for sensitizing and training of bonesetters by formal health care institutions to improve their services.