Well we are still on the topic of Ebola. Yes, it is still
something to be concerned about even if the media is shifting its attention
away from the situation. In this case I will be talking about the role of
superstition with respect to the spread of this disease. (Thank the world
health organization for actually looking into this aspect of this crises).
Let us begin.
Superstition: In Africa, some of the native
peoples do not believe that Ebola is a disease, but instead either demons, or a
curse. As such, they will not go see any doctors to get treated.
Instead they go to witch doctors, and similar spiritualists to try and
exercise the curse or demons from them (which obviously does not work).
In addition, some of the African peoples look at the doctors with disdain
as some feel that the doctors are either quacks, that they will never return
from their clinics, or are just afraid. As such, doctors over there are
having a rough time just trying to get the more superstitious population who is
ill into their treatment facilities for Ebola and other diseases.
Consequences: As a result of this, many more
people in Africa die from disease. Also, it makes it more likely that
these infected people will infect others as well. Now we also have people
from Africa in the United States (legal visitors, citizens, and illegal) who
never lost their beliefs in witchcraft/shamanism or whatever you want to call
it. So if they are sick, they will not see a doctor, but instead a shaman
here in the United States which delays treatment and increases the risks that
others will be infected. So superstition is making it harder for doctors
to fight Ebola and other serious diseases here at home and in Africa.
Conclusion: Well, while we have to respect
people's beliefs, there is no reason to cause health risks to someone
else. So to handle the truly superstitious, you can just replace the word
disease with the word curse, and sickness with possession. Saying they
can possibly spread a "curse" in this case is more effective than
saying spreading disease for those who reject medical science. This may
be lying, but it helps to work your way through a faith or belief than try to
overturn it. So doctors can be called shamans instead and propped up as
superior shamans to tribal ones so as to get these people into the clinics to
treat diseases and prevent infections. Heck, it may even help to make the
treatments seem more mystical to get these people coming to get help. On
the other hand, preventing the spread of the disease at home is easy by simply
cutting off the travel between the infected countries and us. Then you
isolate the people who want to come over for 21 days and if they are not
infected, then they may come over. It really is simple, we just have to
stop being arrogant about it.
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