Traditional Healers and the HIV Crisis in Africa: Toward an Integrated Approach

The HIV virus is currently destroying all facets of African life. It therefore is
imperative that a new holistic form of health education and accessible treatment be
implemented in African public health policy which improves dissemination of prevention and
treatment programs, while maintaining the cultural infrastructure. Drawing on government
and NGO reports, as well as other documentary sources, this paper examines the nature of
current efforts and the state of health care practices in Africa. I review access to modern
health care and factors which inhibit local utilization of these resources, as well as traditional
African beliefs about medicine, disease, and healthcare. This review indicates that a
collaboration of western and traditional medical care and philosophy can help slow the spread
of HIV in Africa. This paper encourages the acceptance and financial support of traditional
health practitioners in this effort owing to their accessibility and affordability and their
cultural compatibility with the community.

A. Two Technical vocabulary

dissemination
infrastructure
B. Understanding abstracts
1. What is the research about?
The research is about treatment and prevention of HIV virus in Africa.
2. How did they conduct the research? (What method did
the researchers use?)
They conduct the research by examine the state of health care in
Africa. They review the health care services and the traditional African beliefs
about health care.
3. What are the results of the research?
The result indicates that a collaboration of western and traditional
medical care and philosophy can help slow the spread of HIV in Africa.
What do researchers hope to find?
They want to find ways to slow down the spreading of HIV virus.
What can the findings of the research do?
The findings of the research promote the acceptance and financial
support of traditional health practitioners in this effort owing to their
accessibility and affordability and their cultural compatibility with the
community.

Paper chromatography of different chemicals

In this experiment, chromatography was used to analyse amino acids in solution. Standards
were used to identify unknown amino acids in a mixture. Ascending layer chromatography
with an isopropanol-based solvent was used to separate the amino acids, which were then
detected with ninhydrin. The unknown mixture analysed was found to contain aspartate and
histidine. It was observed that hydrophobic amino acids were most mobile. This technique
was shown to be an effective way of analysing unknown mixtures of amino acids. A
mechanism for ninhydrin binding to amino acids is proposed, based on observations from this
experiment.
A. Two Technical vocabulary
ascending layer
aspartate

B. Understanding abstracts

1. What is the research about?

The research is about chromatography that used to analyse amino acids
in solution. Standards were used to identify unknown amino acids in a
mixture.
2. How did they conduct the research? (What method did the researchers use?)
Ascending layer chromatography with an isopropanol-based solvent
was used to separate the amino acids, which were then detected with
ninhydrin.
3. What are the results of the research?
The result indicates that the unknown mixture analysed was found to
contain aspartate and histidine. It was observed that hydrophobic amino acids
were most mobile.
What do researchers hope to find? -
What can the findings of the research do? -