Wesleyan Mission Medicine in Asante (1901-2000)
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Published:
Aug 31, 2018
Keywords:
Wesleyan Missionary medicine traditional medical practitioners healthcare
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Abstract
Using a purely qualitative method of research, this study explored the contribution of the Wesleyan Mission (Methodist Church) to improve the health status of the people of Asante. Using Kumase as a case study, this study gives a historical account of how the Wesleyan Faith developed in Asante and how such faith led to the development of their interest in healthcare. This study explores the conflicting interest between the traditional medical practitioners' delivery of health services and the Wesleyan Mission's concept of healthcare delivery and disease combating. It also establishes the fact that, the concept of the Wesleyan Medicine encompasses both spiritual and scientific care. This broadly rests on John Wesley's holistic concept of healing.
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References
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Addae, S. (1997) History of scientific medicine in Ghana 1880-1952. Durham: DurhamAcademic Press Ltd.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2010) A Historical Study of the Impact of Colonial Rule on Indigenous Medical Practices in Ashante. A Focus on Colonial and Indigenous Disease and Prevention Strategies in Kumase, 1902-1957. A PhD. Dissertation Submitted to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2015) British Colonial Reform of Indigenous Medical Practices amongst Asante People of the Gold Coast, 1930-1960. African Journal of History and Culture 7(2): 57-63.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2015) Spiritual and Indigenous Healing Practices among the Asante People of Ghana: A Testimonial from Twenty-First Century Practitioners and Recipients in Kumase. Journal of Basic and Applied Research International 12(1): 39-50.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2018) From Motorola Dynatac to Apple iPhone 10 plus: responses on the use of mobile telephony technology from a University community.
Adu-Gyamfi, S and Adjei, O. P. (2014) Twentieth Century Wanzams among the people of Ghana: A Historical Study of the Facts on Circumcision. Open Journal of Preventive Medicine 4: 730-739.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. and Adjei, R. (2017) Traditional Medicine: Narratives from an Indigenous Population. Saarbrücken: Lap Lambert Academic Publishers.
Adu-Gyamfi, S., et al. (2018) Women Assisting Women in a Village in Ghana: The Role of Traditional Birth Attendants in Wurubegu-Anansu. International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture 5(1): 46-60.
Agbeti, J. K. (1986) West Africa Church Hisory: Christian Mission and Church Foundations 1482-1919. Leiden: E.J Brill.
Anyinam, Ch. (1987) Traditional Medical Practice in Contemporary. A Dying or Growing Profession. Canadian Journal of African Studies 21(3): 315-336.
Baeta, C. G. (1962) Prophetism in Ghana: A study of some spiritual churches. London: SCM Press.
Bartels, F. L. (1965) The Root of Ghana Methodism. London: CUP.
Boadi, J. A. (1981) Christianity or Traditional Beliefs and Customs ?. Humble Gate Publications.
Boahen, A. A. (1985) General History of Africa, Africa Under Colonial Domination1880-1935. Edited by A.A Boahen. Vol. 17. Carlifonia: University of Carlifonia Press.
Boahen, A. A. (1996) A new look at the History of Ghana. African Affairs 65(260): 212-222.
Buah, F. K. (1980) A History of Ghana. London: Macmillan Publishers.
Clineball, C. H. (1992) Wellbeing: A Peronal Plan For Exploring And Enriching The Seven Dimensions Of Life. San Francisco: San Francisco Harper.
Conco, W. Z. (1973) Diseases in the Tropics: A confrontation in an African Rural Practice. The British Medical Journal 3(5875): 331-333.
Darko, I. N. (2009) Ghanaian Indigenous Health Practices. The Use of Herbs. M.A. Dissertation Submitted to the University of Toronto, Canada.
Debrunner, H. W. (1967) A History of Christianity in Ghana. Accra: Waterville Publishing House.
Deocon, H. (2000) Racism and Medical Science in South Africa's Cape Colony in the Mid- to Late 19th Century. Osiris. 15: 190-206.
Gildea, Jr., Ray, Y. (1963) Religion in the Ashanti Province of Ghana. Social Science 38(4): 209-212.
Gildea, Ray Y. Jr. (1963) Religion in the Ashanti Province of Ghana. Social Science 38(4): 209-212.
Gyasi, R. M. (2014) An Analysis of Factors Influencing Traditional Medicines Utilization in Ghana. Evidence from Kumasi Metropolis and Sekyere South District. MPhil. Dissertation Submitted to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Gyasi, R. M., et al., (2017) Nurses' knowledge, clinical practice and attitude towards unconventional medicine: Implications for intercultural healthcare. Complementary therapies in clinical practice 29: 1-8.
Gyasi, R. M., et al., (2018) The capabilities of nurses for complementary and traditional medicine integration in Africa. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 24(3): 282-290.
Hayford, C. h. (1904) Missionary and Medicine. British Medical Journal 2271(2).
Holifield, E. B. (1986) Health and Medicine in the Methodist Tradition. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company.
Iggers, G. G. (1998) A history of Ghana: Revised and Updated . Hanover: Wesleyan University Press.
Interview with the Very Rev. Dr. Samuel Coffiee at his office at Kumasi Methodist Diocese on April 21, 2017.
John F, (2004) Freeman, T.B. (1809-1890) in Oxford dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, online edition. accessed on April 27, 2017.
Lasater, M., Thomas W. L., Babara C. A., Richard, E. P., John. (1986) The Role of Churches in disease Prevention research Studies. Public Health Reports 101(2): 125-135.
Maddox, R. L. (2007) John Wesley on Holistic Health and Healing. Methodist History 46(1): 4-33.
Maier, D. (1979) Nineteenth Century Asante Medical Practices. Comparartive Studies in Society and History 21(1): 63-81.
Marklu, H. (2004) Scotish Missionaries and African Healers: Perceptions and Relations in the Livingstonia mission. Journal of Religion of Africa 34(3): 320-347.
Marsland, R. (2007) The Modern Traditional Healer: Locating Hybridity in Modern Traditional Medicine. Journal of Southern African Studies 3(4): 751-761.
McCaskie, T. C. (1981) Anti-Witchcraft in Cults in Asante: An Essay in the Social History of an African People. History in Africa 8: 125-154.
McCaskie, T. C. (1981) Komfo Anokye of Asante: Meaning, History and Philosophy. Journal of African History 27(2): 315-339.
Mohammed Gyasi, R., et al., (2017) Sociocultural hegemony, gendered identity, and use of traditional and complementary medicine in Ghana. Women & health 1-18.
Mohr, A. Missionary Medicine and Akan Therapeutics: Illness and Healing in Southern Ghana's Basel Mission, 1828-1918. Journal of Religion in Africa 39(4): 429-461.
Neba, E. N. (2011) Traditional Healthcare Systems and Challenges in Developing Ethnopharmacology in Africa: An Example of Oku, Cameroon. Journal of Ethnomedicine 5: 133-139.
Onwuanibe, R. C. (1979) The Philosophy of African Medical Practice. A Journal of Opinion 9(2): 25-28.
O'Reilly, P. (1973) Development: The Role of the Church. The Furrow 24(8): 475-479.
Owens, J. M. R. (1972) Missionary Medicine and Maori Health: The Record of the Wesleyan Mission to New Zealand before 1840. The Journal of the Polynesian Society 81(4): 418-436.
Patterson, K. D. (1994) Disease and Medicicne in African History: A Bibliographical Essay. History in Africa 1: 141-148.
Reindolf, C. C. (1966) The History of the Gold Coast and Asante. Accra: Waterville Press.
Sarah, N. N. (2017) A History of the Methodist Church, Kumasi Diocese [Onlin URL: http//www.singlenmoreghana.com] accessed on April 19, 2017.
Schumaker, L. (2007) Histories of Healing, Past and Present Medical Practices in Africa and the Diaspora. Journal of Southern African Southern Studies 4(33): 707-714.
Southern, A. E. (1935) Gold Coast Methodism. London: Wyman and Sons.
Southern, A. E. (1934) The First Hundred Years of Gold Coast Methodism. London: Wyman and Sons Ltd.
Termerne, A. J. N. (1912) Extract from Diary of the Late Rev. John Martin, Wesleyan Missionary in West Africa, 1843-48. Man 2: 138-143.
Twumasi, P. A and Bonsi, S. K. (1975) Developing a Healthcare System in Ghana. Journal of the National Medical Association 6(5): 339-391.
Twumasi, P. A. (1972) The Interrelationships Between Scientific and Traditional Medical Systems.Study of Ghana. A PhD. Dissertation Submitted to the University of Alberta.
Twumasi, P. A. (1975) Medical Systems in Ghana. Accra: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
Wise, R. C. (1942) Religion in illness and Health. New York: Harper.
Addae, S. (1997) History of scientific medicine in Ghana 1880-1952. Durham: DurhamAcademic Press Ltd.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2010) A Historical Study of the Impact of Colonial Rule on Indigenous Medical Practices in Ashante. A Focus on Colonial and Indigenous Disease and Prevention Strategies in Kumase, 1902-1957. A PhD. Dissertation Submitted to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2015) British Colonial Reform of Indigenous Medical Practices amongst Asante People of the Gold Coast, 1930-1960. African Journal of History and Culture 7(2): 57-63.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2015) Spiritual and Indigenous Healing Practices among the Asante People of Ghana: A Testimonial from Twenty-First Century Practitioners and Recipients in Kumase. Journal of Basic and Applied Research International 12(1): 39-50.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. (2018) From Motorola Dynatac to Apple iPhone 10 plus: responses on the use of mobile telephony technology from a University community.
Adu-Gyamfi, S and Adjei, O. P. (2014) Twentieth Century Wanzams among the people of Ghana: A Historical Study of the Facts on Circumcision. Open Journal of Preventive Medicine 4: 730-739.
Adu-Gyamfi, S. and Adjei, R. (2017) Traditional Medicine: Narratives from an Indigenous Population. Saarbrücken: Lap Lambert Academic Publishers.
Adu-Gyamfi, S., et al. (2018) Women Assisting Women in a Village in Ghana: The Role of Traditional Birth Attendants in Wurubegu-Anansu. International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture 5(1): 46-60.
Agbeti, J. K. (1986) West Africa Church Hisory: Christian Mission and Church Foundations 1482-1919. Leiden: E.J Brill.
Anyinam, Ch. (1987) Traditional Medical Practice in Contemporary. A Dying or Growing Profession. Canadian Journal of African Studies 21(3): 315-336.
Baeta, C. G. (1962) Prophetism in Ghana: A study of some spiritual churches. London: SCM Press.
Bartels, F. L. (1965) The Root of Ghana Methodism. London: CUP.
Boadi, J. A. (1981) Christianity or Traditional Beliefs and Customs ?. Humble Gate Publications.
Boahen, A. A. (1985) General History of Africa, Africa Under Colonial Domination1880-1935. Edited by A.A Boahen. Vol. 17. Carlifonia: University of Carlifonia Press.
Boahen, A. A. (1996) A new look at the History of Ghana. African Affairs 65(260): 212-222.
Buah, F. K. (1980) A History of Ghana. London: Macmillan Publishers.
Clineball, C. H. (1992) Wellbeing: A Peronal Plan For Exploring And Enriching The Seven Dimensions Of Life. San Francisco: San Francisco Harper.
Conco, W. Z. (1973) Diseases in the Tropics: A confrontation in an African Rural Practice. The British Medical Journal 3(5875): 331-333.
Darko, I. N. (2009) Ghanaian Indigenous Health Practices. The Use of Herbs. M.A. Dissertation Submitted to the University of Toronto, Canada.
Debrunner, H. W. (1967) A History of Christianity in Ghana. Accra: Waterville Publishing House.
Deocon, H. (2000) Racism and Medical Science in South Africa's Cape Colony in the Mid- to Late 19th Century. Osiris. 15: 190-206.
Gildea, Jr., Ray, Y. (1963) Religion in the Ashanti Province of Ghana. Social Science 38(4): 209-212.
Gildea, Ray Y. Jr. (1963) Religion in the Ashanti Province of Ghana. Social Science 38(4): 209-212.
Gyasi, R. M. (2014) An Analysis of Factors Influencing Traditional Medicines Utilization in Ghana. Evidence from Kumasi Metropolis and Sekyere South District. MPhil. Dissertation Submitted to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Gyasi, R. M., et al., (2017) Nurses' knowledge, clinical practice and attitude towards unconventional medicine: Implications for intercultural healthcare. Complementary therapies in clinical practice 29: 1-8.
Gyasi, R. M., et al., (2018) The capabilities of nurses for complementary and traditional medicine integration in Africa. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 24(3): 282-290.
Hayford, C. h. (1904) Missionary and Medicine. British Medical Journal 2271(2).
Holifield, E. B. (1986) Health and Medicine in the Methodist Tradition. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company.
Iggers, G. G. (1998) A history of Ghana: Revised and Updated . Hanover: Wesleyan University Press.
Interview with the Very Rev. Dr. Samuel Coffiee at his office at Kumasi Methodist Diocese on April 21, 2017.
John F, (2004) Freeman, T.B. (1809-1890) in Oxford dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, online edition. accessed on April 27, 2017.
Lasater, M., Thomas W. L., Babara C. A., Richard, E. P., John. (1986) The Role of Churches in disease Prevention research Studies. Public Health Reports 101(2): 125-135.
Maddox, R. L. (2007) John Wesley on Holistic Health and Healing. Methodist History 46(1): 4-33.
Maier, D. (1979) Nineteenth Century Asante Medical Practices. Comparartive Studies in Society and History 21(1): 63-81.
Marklu, H. (2004) Scotish Missionaries and African Healers: Perceptions and Relations in the Livingstonia mission. Journal of Religion of Africa 34(3): 320-347.
Marsland, R. (2007) The Modern Traditional Healer: Locating Hybridity in Modern Traditional Medicine. Journal of Southern African Studies 3(4): 751-761.
McCaskie, T. C. (1981) Anti-Witchcraft in Cults in Asante: An Essay in the Social History of an African People. History in Africa 8: 125-154.
McCaskie, T. C. (1981) Komfo Anokye of Asante: Meaning, History and Philosophy. Journal of African History 27(2): 315-339.
Mohammed Gyasi, R., et al., (2017) Sociocultural hegemony, gendered identity, and use of traditional and complementary medicine in Ghana. Women & health 1-18.
Mohr, A. Missionary Medicine and Akan Therapeutics: Illness and Healing in Southern Ghana's Basel Mission, 1828-1918. Journal of Religion in Africa 39(4): 429-461.
Neba, E. N. (2011) Traditional Healthcare Systems and Challenges in Developing Ethnopharmacology in Africa: An Example of Oku, Cameroon. Journal of Ethnomedicine 5: 133-139.
Onwuanibe, R. C. (1979) The Philosophy of African Medical Practice. A Journal of Opinion 9(2): 25-28.
O'Reilly, P. (1973) Development: The Role of the Church. The Furrow 24(8): 475-479.
Owens, J. M. R. (1972) Missionary Medicine and Maori Health: The Record of the Wesleyan Mission to New Zealand before 1840. The Journal of the Polynesian Society 81(4): 418-436.
Patterson, K. D. (1994) Disease and Medicicne in African History: A Bibliographical Essay. History in Africa 1: 141-148.
Reindolf, C. C. (1966) The History of the Gold Coast and Asante. Accra: Waterville Press.
Sarah, N. N. (2017) A History of the Methodist Church, Kumasi Diocese [Onlin URL: http//www.singlenmoreghana.com] accessed on April 19, 2017.
Schumaker, L. (2007) Histories of Healing, Past and Present Medical Practices in Africa and the Diaspora. Journal of Southern African Southern Studies 4(33): 707-714.
Southern, A. E. (1935) Gold Coast Methodism. London: Wyman and Sons.
Southern, A. E. (1934) The First Hundred Years of Gold Coast Methodism. London: Wyman and Sons Ltd.
Termerne, A. J. N. (1912) Extract from Diary of the Late Rev. John Martin, Wesleyan Missionary in West Africa, 1843-48. Man 2: 138-143.
Twumasi, P. A and Bonsi, S. K. (1975) Developing a Healthcare System in Ghana. Journal of the National Medical Association 6(5): 339-391.
Twumasi, P. A. (1972) The Interrelationships Between Scientific and Traditional Medical Systems.Study of Ghana. A PhD. Dissertation Submitted to the University of Alberta.
Twumasi, P. A. (1975) Medical Systems in Ghana. Accra: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
Wise, R. C. (1942) Religion in illness and Health. New York: Harper.