Doctor receives nearly R1 million to research impact of Covid-19 on indigenous communities
The Nigerian-born doctor received an award from the SA Medical Research Council for her research, which will focus on the indigenous community of Thamarha on the outskirts of King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape.The award, valued at R300 000 over three years, is for her research project entitled Ukulungisa in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic: Experiences of Culture, Resilience and Wellbeing Within an Indigenous Xhosa Community in South Africa.
She said that, while following what was happening around the world with lockdowns and other restrictions, she started reading the sparse research on the impact of Covid-19 on indigenous communities around the globe and found even less literature on African rural and indigenous communities. “You had pamphlets going out about Covid-19. You had government, healthcare professionals, indigenous leaders and radio broadcasts trying to provide some information, but what did that mean for the rituals and indigenous practices that are the lifeblood in these communities and are crucial for their wellbeing?”
She said her study aims to explore the understanding of wellbeing within the Xhosa indigenous community of Thamarha, explore the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on cultural and spiritual expression within this community, and identify resources and strategies that support cultural and spiritual continuity for the community during the Covid-19 pandemic.