Oral health therapeutic itineraries adopted by Baka Pygmies in Cameroon

Abstract

Aim or Purpose: From the perspective of indigenous peoples, the systematic adoption of the Western concept of health is often related to inequalities and limited access to health services. This research aims to explore the traditional oral health therapeutic itineraries of Baka Pygmy in Cameroon. Materials and Methods: This is a cross sectional descriptive study carried out between March-April 2021 in Baka. communities. Data was collected via individual semi-structured questionnaires developed by the Health Department of Zerca y Lejos NGO. Results: A total of 51 traditional doctors and 118 adults in 14 communities in south-eastern region, recruited in our study. Access to traditional doctors was the first option for 98.36% of the respondents. The Cameroonian government, however, only acknowledges 19.6% of all traditional healers. Oral pathologies are among the eight most frequent pathologies treated. Dental caries (66.6%), periodontal disease (23.52%), trauma to the jaw and Noma (5.8%) were the common diseases treated by traditional healers. 70.6% of traditional doctors deem as positive to comprehend conventional medical techniques. Conclusion: The promotion and access to oral health, for indigenous peoples requires the adoption of a broader and more culturally oriented approach, that emanates from the concept of indigenous traditional health. Exploring therapeutic itineraries is a key tool pursuing the implementation of an emancipating community-based oral health plan.It is therefore highly recommended to design and implement a mixed health programme that into account traditional health itineraries and also empowers community health leaders on conventional health care while providing a basic oral health package.