Madagascar: Traditional Medicine and Healthcare Systems -- Summer

Educational Excursions

“It was during the hike to Kingory when I realized that the knowledge I have gained on this program could not have been obtained anywhere else. The lecturers we had, the places we saw, and the staff members that I had at my disposal to query all provided unique learning opportunities that I had never experienced before.”

Ellie Shetter, American University

Students on excursion at the National Research Center for Applied Pharmaceuticals

At every step of the program, students examine current health care models and debate the social and political dimensions of health care delivery; this is achieved through thoughtful and sustained engagement with Malagasy values and perspectives in both rural and urban settings.

Sample Excursions May Include Visits to:

Rural and Urban Allopathic Health Care Centers
Local Herbalist Markets
The University of Antananarivo's School of Medicine
The University of Antananarivo Faculty of Science's Pharmacology Department
IMRA (Institut Malgache de Recherche Appliqué), a traditional medicine research center
SoTraMEx (Societé de Transformation Malgache et d'Exportation)
Homeopharma (homeopathy, phytotherapy, and aromatherapy)

Educational excursions provide students with deeper insight into the many facets of health care delivery in Madagascar. These include: the relationship between cultural beliefs and health delivery; national health policies and their implementation via existing government structures such as ministries, schools, and political campaigns; nutrition and sanitation challenges; and the proliferation of non-formal education mechanisms (such as folk tales, stories, and taboos) in health care personal practices.