Dr. Adadow Yidana
Ph.D. Student (Scholarship holder 10/2010 - 08/2013)
1st Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Richard Rottenburg
2nd Supervisor: Prof. Reinhold Sackmann
Mentor: Dr. James M. Thompson
Overview
Socio-religious factors influencing the rising plausibility of faith healing in Ghana
Health is an important assert for every individual in society and the search for good health or wholeness of being has been a major concern. Reducing ill-health is an important part of agenda for health policy makers. This call for a search for drugs to confront incurable diseases that continues to occupy medical professionals worldwide and Africa in particular.
Due to these challenges, and the fact that they are unable to find explanation to some of these diseases, the demand for the technologically advanced and laboratory based modern medicine is being challenged by traditional medicine especially faith based healing. There is a rising plausibility of faith healing in Ghana. The activities of the faith healers has become so pronounced that in almost any radio or television station one tunes, there is always a pastor preaching or healing people via that medium. The most fascinating part is that, some of these ‘prayer camps’ or ‘healing crusades’ are either led by medically trained persons serving as the ‘healing prophets’ or medically trained personnel being part of the team. Is a common practice these days to see ‘men of God’ praying for patients at their bedsides in hospitals during visiting hours. It is not uncommon to see mothers leaving their households in the night to attend churches which are termed ‘all night’ and in some cases ‘healing crusade’. It is even the belief of many that one can view them preaching on television or listen to them on radio and you will be healed of any sickness you may be suffering from. Thus some of the illnesses that need laboratory examination or meant for hospitals are sent to these prayer ground (healing crusade).
These trends and practices seem to be a real barrier to providing adequate health care in addition to poverty and the longstanding customs and superstitions that make people opt for these healing alternative. The aim of this research is to examine the social and religious factors responsible for the increasing plausibility faith healing and the effect it has on the health care delivery system in Ghana.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
| 10/2010-09/2012 | Ph.D.student at the Graduate School Society and Culture in Motion Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg under the supervision of Prof. Dr. R. Rottenburg |
| 2002-2003 | Master of Science (Medical Sociology) Department of Social & Political Science, Royal Holloway, University of London Dissertation: Two decades of HIV/AIDS education in Africa – a case study of South Africa, Uganda and Ghana (MSc Dissertation, department of social and Political science, RHUL, England, 2003) |
| 1998-2001 | Bachelor of Arts (Sociology with Psychology) Department of Sociology, University of Ghana, Legon – Accra Dissertation: The perception and attitude of nurses towards HIV/AIDS patients - a case study of East Mamprusi District in the northern region of Ghana (B.A. Dissertation, sociology department, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, 2001) |
Professional Activities
| 10/2007-10/2010 | Lecturer, Department of Community Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tamale (Ghana) |
| 08/2006-08/2008 | Part time teacher, Tamale School of Hygiene, Tamale (Ghana) |
| 09/2001-08/2002 | Research Assistant, Sociology Department, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana (National service) |
| 09/2001-08/2002 | Teaching Assistant, Sociology Department, University of Ghana, Legon Accra, Ghana (National service) |
Publications
2009: Yidana S. M, Yidana A. Assessing groundwater quality using water quality index and multivariate statistical analysis – the voltain basin, Ghana. Journal of Environmental Earth Sciences, DOI 10.1007/S 12665-009-0132-3.
2010: Yidana S. M, Yidana A.. An assessment of the origin and variation of ground water salinity in southern Ghana. Journal of Environmental Earth Sciences, DOI 10.1007/s12665-010-0449-y.