Health and Safety - Madagascar - page 206

IAMAT (International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers) 1623 Military
Rd, 279 Niagara Falls, NY14304-1745; 716 754 4883; e [e-mail] ;
www.iamat.org . Provides lists of English-speaking doctors abroad.
IAMAT Canada Suite 1, 1287 St Clair Av W, Toronto, Ontario M6E IB8; 416 652
0137
TMVC Suite 314, 1030 W Georgia St, Vancouver BC V6E 2Y3; 1 888 288 8682;
www.tmvc.com . Private clinic with several branches in Canada.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
IAMAT 206 Papanui Rd, Christchurch 5, New Zealand; www.iamat.org
TMVC 1300 65 88 44; www.tmvc.com.au . Clinics in Australia, New Zealand & Singa-
pore, including: Canterbury Arcade, 170 Queen St, Auckland ( 9 373 3531); 6th floor,
247 Adelaide St, Brisbane, QLD 4000 ( 7 3221 9066); 393 Little Bourke St, 2nd floor,
Melbourne, VIC 3000 ( 3 9602 5788); Dymocks Bldg, 7th floor, 428 George St, Sydney,
NSW 2000 ( 2 9221 7133 ).
SOUTH AFRICA
SAA-Netcare Travel Clinics P Bag X34, Benmore 2010; www.travelclinic.co.za . Clinics
throughout South Africa.
TRADITIONAL HEALING AND ETHNOBOTANY
Samantha Cameron
Faced with environmental degradation and increasing exposure to Western medicine,
there aremanypeople whofearforthefutureofethnobotanical knowledge. However,
recent research in rural southeast Madagascar found that traditional healing practices
continuetobewidespreadandthat,althougholderpeoplegenerallyhavemorefaithin
them, the younger generation are also very knowledgeable about traditional remedies.
Many people consult both healers and the hospital, the decision depending on the
type of illness they are suffering from and, to a lesser extent, the cost of treatment.
OftenhealersareseenwhenpeoplehaveanillnessthattheybelieveWesternmedicine
cannot cure. The two are also used in combination, or people resort to one having
foundtheotherineffective.Ifsymptomsofadiseasearerecognised,treatmentisoften
self-administered. Somehealth problemsofasensitive nature,suchasgynaecological
problems and sexually transmitted diseases, are commonly treated by healers; women
being afraid or too embarrassed to go to the hospital. Other conditions are often of a
more psychological or supernatural nature, such as phobias and spirit possessions.
Healers commonly first receive their powers on the death of another healer, usually
their parent or grandparent, and often through a dream. Many practise clairvoyance,