Editorial

by Richard Pitt

Much is changing in the world as we approach the end of 2012, which for some represents an “end time”, based on the prognostics of the Mayan calendar and its interpretations. However significant this way be, the reality for much of the world is that things are moving and changing quickly and many established ways of being are being challenged. One of the areas of the world changing the most is Africa. For so long it has been seen to be a hopeless place, full of famine and suffering and while that view has always been somewhat skewed, there is no doubt that much of Africa has suffered from many challenges – from acute and chronic diseases such as malaria, T.B. and AIDS, to social and political instability, with many wars, famines and droughts. It is not an easy place to live in.

After many African countries became independent in the last fifty years they often became dependent on Western aid, including medical aid, helping to offer basic health services for all. However, in spite of all the money and effort employed, many sub-Saharan Africans struggle to access healthcare. This may be because they cannot afford it or simply that there is none. Many parts of the continent are still remote and the practical challenges of accessing health care are large. Many still use local traditional forms of medicine, but also will take “white man’s medicine” when available, even if some of that is outdated and potentially dangerous. This is not the fault of the people living in Africa. The unique challenges of moving beyond the impact of colonialism, with “new” countries carved out the land, and with adapting to the dynamics of the modern world and ongoing post-colonial influence, along with the basic challenges of survival and endemic diseases in tropical countries has made much of Africa a challenging place to be.

The continent still struggles with many diseases and here homeopathy can play its part in offering people cheap and effective medicine. Homeopathy is already established to some extent in some countries, South Africa, Swaziland, Kenya and Ghana being some examples but much more can be done to help homeopathy grow in many countries. In May 2012, homeopaths representing homeopathic projects all over Africa, came together to share and explore their work in Africa. A conference was held at the Kenya School of Homeopathy, in Kwale, near Mombasa, Kenya, where there is a three year full-time homeopathic training offered. Organized by Marie Magre, the founder of the College, Jeremy and Camilla Sherr, who have an AIDS project in Tanzania and Peggy Bhide, a homeopathic student from Swaziland, the conference was an amazing gathering of homeopaths from all over Africa and Europe. They represented projects in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Swaziland, Botswana, South Africa and more. Organizations such as Homeopathy Without Borders were present and the presentations varied from new African provings, discussions on the homeopathic treatment of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other epidemic diseases, homeopathic research and the politics of homeopathy, both in Africa and elsewhere. This was the first Pan African Homeopathic Congress and it was a great success.

So it seemed appropriate to share this with the wider community and to make the focus of this edition and also the next one an exploration of homeopathy in Africa and beyond. There is an especial focus on the homeopathic treatment of HIV/AIDS. Some of the projects are focused particularly on this challenging area and given the enormity of the problem that Africa has with HIV/AIDS this topic is worth focusing on. However, like many things, there are many angles in understanding the situation with AIDS in Africa and in the following edition of the California Homeopath, due out in the beginning of 2013, there will some articles critiquing the current AIDS policy of organizations such as the WHO and questioning some of the “facts” we are told about the African problem with AIDS. 

So in this edition all the articles are connected in some way to Africa. Some of the articles are talks given at the conference and others taken from other sources. I was lucky enough to be at the conference as I was working at a homeopathic project in Malawi at the time and so when the conference was confirmed, it was a great opportunity to go. 

I hope you find this issue stimulating. It is exciting to see homeopathy take root in other countries and as Africa is developing rapidly and so obviously needs access to all forms of healthcare, homeopathy is well suited to the task and those of us working on projects in Africa are excited at the possibilities of what homeopathy can offer in the continent.