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Bone-setting in Sudan

Traditional Healing Centres in Sudan

Home remedies

Sudanese traditional cosmetics

Clinical evaluation of herbal practices

Female circumcision in Sudan

Museum and Atlas of Traditional Medical Practices in Sudan

Traditional Sudanese Materia Medica

Traditional Medicine Library

Bibliography of traditional medicine

Capacity building of Traditional healers

Bone-setting in Sudan

This project investigates an important category of traditional healers in Sudan to understand their techniques, strengths and weaknesses in the light of their popularity, and the drastic shortage of orthopedic surgeons in the country. Studying their practices will shed some light on the best ways to promote their skills and incorporate them in the national Primary Health Care Programmes.

Researchers and field workers:

bulletDr. Mofida Y. - PhD. Medical Anthropology,
bulletDr. Mai Osman - MD
bulletKhalid Mousa - BA. Sociology
bulletBadr Eldein Abdulrazig- MA. Folklore

Traditional Healing Centres in Sudan

Although it is evident that traditional medicine is being practiced extensively, there is no statistical data to show their census, where they are, their specializations and categories, how they obtained their skill, and how effective are their treatments. All the studies that have been carried out on this area were scattered case studies on a small number of traditional healing centres. There is little or no information on peoples’ use of the traditional medical sector. Therapies used, social characteristics of users and coverage provided by this sector are not documented.

Objectives:

Identify all traditional healers in Sudan according to their geographical distribution, ethnicity, skills, methods of diagnosis and treatment,

Describe the patients of the traditional healing Centres (socio-economic status, ethnicity, diseases, and beliefs about traditional healing versus modern health practices).

Assessment of the general population’s beliefs and practices of different health resources (modern health and traditional medical practices) and the reasons behind this.

Promote the integration of traditional medicine and Modern medicine through workshops and training programmes.

Expected Outcome:

Promote integration of valuable knowledge, attitudes and skills of traditional healing practices into modern medicine and our health delivery system.

Researchers and field workers:

—    Dr. Mofida Y. El Khalifa – Ph. D. Medical Anthropology

—    Researchers and field workers: Afaf Taj Elsir MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Manal Mohamed Ali- MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Inaam Mohammed - BA. Psychology,

—    Khalid Musa – BA in Sociology

Home remedies

Most households’ first aid starts at home. Thus, home remedies play an important role in the health of the majority of many populations. Some medicinal plants particularly spices are commonly used. Many of these plants are well known and have been extensively studied. Yet, the right amount or dose to be taken is not known or defined. Also some other medicinal plants need to be studied.

Objectives: Evaluation of the traditional Sudanese remedies and publishing the most effective ones.

Expected outcome: Improving home remedying skills of mothers

Researchers and field workers:

—    Dr. Mofida Y. El Khalifa - PhD. Medical Anthropology

—    Researchers and field workers: Afaf Taj Elsir- MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Miss Reem Hassan (MSc. Biochemistry),

—    Dr. Abdulwahab Hassan- Ph.D. Pharmacology

Time Schedule and budget

Sudanese traditional cosmetics

Sudan is rich with its unique and diverse types of cosmetics. Nevertheless, it has received little attention if any by the scientific sector in the country. Therefore, this research will document many Sudanese cosmetics and will perform some scientific evaluation in their effectiveness and will also encourage the investigation of those, which are not evaluated.

Objectives:

Documenting and evaluating traditional Sudanese cosmetics

Expected outcomes:

—    Documentation of Sudanese Cosmetics

—    Scientific evaluation of 6 commonly used Sudanese cosmetics

Researchers and field workers:

—    Dr. Mofida Y. Al-Khalifa - PhD. Medical Anthropology,

—    Afaf Taj Elsir- MA. Medical Anthropology

Clinical evaluation of herbal practices

Anemia is one of the major health problems in Sudan especially among children and pregnant women. Many medicinal plants are claimed to be effective in reducing anemia. Few studies have been carried out in this area. Two plants were selected to be studied. These plants were commonly used in Western Sudan. Pilot studies were performed and showed promising results.

Objectives: Pharmacological, toxicological and clinical studies on two plants claimed to treat anemia

Expected outcomes:

Discover an effective treatment for anemia from medicinal plants.

Researchers and field workers:

—    Prof Sami A. Khalid- Prof. Pharmacognosy

—    Researchers and field workers: Dr. Mofida Y. - PhD. Medical Anthropology, Afaf Taj Elsir- MA. Medical Anthropology, Reem Hassan- MSC Biochemistry

Female circumcision in Sudan

Female circumcision is the most harmful traditional surgery practice in Sudan. It is deeply rooted and has been going on for thousands of years. Till now, a very high percentage of girls are circumcised despite the efforts of many institutions (governments, universities, NGOs…etc) working in the area of combating this practice. These efforts, however, are scattered, disjointed, and ineffective. Establishment of an information centre on this area will guarantee the continuous data collection, analysis and evaluation of this practice, for the use of researchers, policy makers, health workers and all who are working on the eradication of this harmful practice. This project started in 1983.

Objectives:

Establishment of an information bank in the area of harmful traditional surgeries.

Project leader:

Dr. Ahmad Al Safi, MB, DA, FFARCS, FRCA, CAcup, Founding Director, Traditional Medicine Research Institute

Researchers and field workers:

—    Dr. Mofida Y. - PhD. Medical Anthropology

—    Afaf Taj Elsir- MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Manal Mohamed - MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Inaam Mohammed - BA. Psychology,

—    Khalid Mousa - BA. Sociology,

—    Badr Eldein Abdulrazig- MA. Folklore

Museum and Atlas of Traditional Medical Practices in Sudan

There is a big gab in the literature in the area of Sudanese cultural heritage in general and on the traditional health practices specifically. This is going to be the first published encyclopedia in this area in the Sudan.

Objectives:

Collection and classification of traditional health practices in Sudan with photos and detailed explanations

Project leader:

Dr. Ahmad Al Safi, MB, DA, FFARCS, FRCA, CAcup, Founding Director, TMRI.

Researchers and field workers from the Institute

—    Dr. Mofida Y. Al-Khalifa - PhD. Medical Anthropology,

—    Afaf Taj Elsir- MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Manal Mohamed Ali- MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Inaam Mohamed- BA. Psychology. Khalid Musa- BA in Sociology

—    Maysoon Hassan - Librarian

Traditional Sudanese Materia Medica

This work has started with the inception of TMRI in 1982. The Medicinal and Aromatic Herbs Research Institute is collecting specimens for over three decades.

Expected outcome:

Documentation of the Sudanese traditional medicine practices. Sample could be found in http://www.ahmadalsafi.net and in the MAHR Herbarium.

Project leader:

Dr. Ahmad Al Safi, MB, DA, FFARCS, FRCA, CAcup, Founding Director, Traditional Medicine Research Institute.

Researchers and field workers:

—    Dr. Mofida Y. Al-Khalifa - PhD. Medical Anthropology,

—    Afaf Taj Elsir- MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Maysoon Hassan – Librarian,

—    Khalid Mousa - BA. Sociology,

—    Badr Eldein Abdulrazig- MA. Folklore

Traditional Medicine Library

It is importance that researchers should have handy accessible references when needed. The small library in TMRI, which consists of slightly more than 600 books, over 200 volumes (from about 15 different journals), and about 200 papers in the area of traditional medicine and related sciences need to be supported.

Objectives:

Improving the traditional medicine library.

Project leader:

Dr. Ahmad Al Safi, MB, DA, FFARCS, FRCA, CAcup, Founding Director, Traditional Medicine Research Institute

Researchers and field workers:

—    Dr. Mofida Y. Al-Khalifa - PhD. Medical Anthropology,

—    Afaf Taj Elsir- MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Manal Mohamed Ali, Inaam Mohamed,

—    Khalid Mousa - BA. Sociology

—    Badr Eldein Abdulrazig- MA. Folklore,

—    Maysoon Hassan - Librarian

Bibliography of traditional medicine

Bibliographical search is the first step in research. To make easy access to the available literature, a traditional medicine bibliography and specialized bibliographies in the field are needed. Compiling this bibliography started with the inception of TMRI in 1982. A sample Bibliography of around 2000 references could be accessed online in http://www.ahmadalsafi.net. This work need to be completed and reproduced in hardcopy.

Objectives:

Publish the Traditional Sudanese Medicine Bibliography, Bibliography of Genital Mutilation in Sudan, Bibliography of Spirit Possession Cults in Sudan online and in print.

Project leader:

Dr. Ahmad Al Safi, MB, DA, FFARCS, FRCA, CAcup, Founding Director, Traditional Medicine Research Institute.

Researchers and field workers:

—    Dr. Mofida Y. Al-Khalifa - PhD. Medical Anthropology,

—    Afaf Taj Elsir- MA. Medical Anthropology,

—    Inaam Mohamed, BA. Psychology,

—    Maysoon Hassan – Librarian,

—    Khalid Mousa - BA. Sociology,

—    Badr Eldein Abdulrazig- MA. Folklore

Capacity building of Traditional healers

Traditional Healer Play an important role in the health of their communities. They are highly respected and recognized as community leaders. Thus, the Traditional Medicine Institute taking the responsibilities to hold some training courses to build their capacity and advocate them in scientific health awareness approaches and methods.

Objectives:

Building Capacity for Traditional Healers through training courses in:

1. Primary health care

2. Bone setting

3. Herbal medicine

4. HIV prevention methods

Expected results:

Building capacity of traditional healers

Project leader:

Manal Mohamed Ali, M.A. Medical Anthropology.

Trainers on:

PHC Trainers

HIV/AIDS

Bone-setting skills

Medicinal plants

Glossary


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This site was last updated March 20, 2005