Why Africa fears Western medicine

International Herald Tribune by Harriet A. Washington | Jul. 31, 2007 (Opinion)

To Westerners, the repatriation of five nurses and a doctor to Bulgaria last week after more than eight years' imprisonment meant the end of an unsettling ordeal. The medical workers, who in May 2004 were sentenced to death on charges of intentionally infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV, have been freed, and another international incident is averted.

But to many Africans, the accusations, which have been validated by a guilty verdict ... Full Story »

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by Tom Cox - Oct. 1, 2008

Background on the very different world view of many Africans towards Western medicine, providing valuable context for the recent and shameful payoff of Libya for freeing six healthcare professionals. I'd have liked more sourcing, but the details are rich enough to justify a close reading and a heightened awareness of how much we don't know about Africa's view of the West and the world.