Dynamics of Traditional Healthcare Knowledge Transmission and Practice in Rural Nigeria: A Case Study of Egbejila Community

Abstract This research study examines the dynamics of traditional healthcare knowledge transmission and practice in Egbejila, a rural community in Nigeria. Traditional healthcare knowledge is deeply embedded in cultural heritage and remains essential for sustaining indigenous medical practices across generations. Through a qualitative research approach, the collection of primary data involved interviews and focus group discussions. Besides, secondary sources were gathered to complement the primary data. The study comprised twenty-five (25) informants. The collected data were analysed using a qualitative data analysis software package known as NVivo. Findings from the study revealed that traditional practitioners in the Egbejila community established that they acquired their traditional healthcare knowledge from various sources, which significantly contributed to their specialization. The findings also shed light on the participants' knowledge regarding the aetiology of illness, common illnesses, and diagnostic methods employed by traditional practitioners in the study community. Based on the findings, it is recommended that there is a need for better healthcare knowledge acquisition; the government should establish a modality for formal sandwich training or a traditional healthcare institute that accommodates formal teaching and advanced apprenticeship, drawing inspiration from other countries.