COVID—19 RESPONSES IN NIGERIA AND THE PREPAREDNESS OF THE TRADITIONAL AND CULTURAL HEALTH CARE DELIVERY TO COMBATING THE PANDEMIC: THE NEED FOR THE GUIDNANCE AND COUNSELLING COLLABORATION

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has been responded to by the whole world in general and Nigeria particularly in various complex measures. There has been the request for vaccination, and consistent need for precautions including the sit at home or lockdown measures. In all these responses, the virus is said to have returned back, in a more severe and deadly spread. The second wave has reactivated the world’s mind to insist on a vaccine. Presently, vaccines are said to be available, but reasonable number of Nigerians have put up questions and suspicion against these vaccines. On this point, no body has challenged the natural, traditional and cultural health care delivery measures applied by many Nigerians including residents of the rural settlements. It is this fear and argument on the use of COVID-19 vaccine and contemporary Nigerian people’s disregard to traditional and cultural health care delivery systems that form the problem that this paper is designated to address. Be that as it may, African traditional medical and health care systems should be acknowledged in the quest for a therapy for the treatment or management of the pandemic. Even though traditional healthcare systems have their deficiencies, the research is nevertheless is designed to examine the effectiveness of the African traditional and cultural health care systems as an alternative to the use of vaccine among Nigerians. It is also discovered that the disagreement between Nigerians on the use of vaccines and reliability of African health care systems call for the involvement of the guidance and counseling experts. The research adopts comparative and phenomenological research approaches. Data collected were analyzed with phenomenological method of analysis. Data were also sourced from primary and secondary sources. It is recommended that government should look into the complaints against vaccines, and effectiveness of African traditional health care system before making decisions on the use of the vaccines, etc.