Role of Traditional Bone Setters in Africa: Experience in Calabar, Nigeria

Background: It is a known fact that majority of bony injuries in our society are treated by traditional methods. Even the elite often-times shows evidence of doubt in the efficacy of orthodox methods of bone treatment. Method: Interviews using questionnaires were administered to owners of traditional bone centres and their clients respectively. Eight (8) of such centres were visited in Calabar and their environs. Results: Results showed that all the practitioners had little or no formal education. All of them claimed ancestral/supernatural inheritance of the trade and do not want to disclose any secret. There was complete lack of knowledge of anatomy, physiology and the sources of complications. They lack basic knowledge of investigations and wound care. Most of the clients found themselves at the Traditional bone centres (TBC) because of poverty, ignorance and superstitious beliefs. The traditional bone setters (TBS) do record some success in simple fractures and dislocations but all of them see orthodox bone treatment as rivalry. Conclusion: It may be difficult to stop traditional bone setting in our society but may be easy to stop the complications by drawing the TBS together for the purpose of basic education and restriction. Training of more specialists in the area of Orthopaedics and Traumatology and provision of adequate basic equipment/appliances in our health institutions may reduce the rate of “Leaving hospital to the Traditional bone centres against medical advice”.