Writing about death

Deborah Atobrah in conversation with one of her informats in her research project. Foto: Elin F. Styve

“We hope that the book will be a source for debate and further studies in a field that is difficult and sensitive for many people and cultures,” says Prof. emerita Kari Wærness . She is joint editor of the book, together with Prof. Christine Oppong and Phyllis Antwi , both of the University of Ghana .

Essays written by general practitioners, social researchers, lawyers and experts on religion give insight into how care of the sick and dying is characterised by ambivalence, variation, uncertainty and lack of resources in a society that is rapidly changing. These discussions are also relevant to dilemmas found in other developing countries and in the west, where multicultural communities have to take into account variations in tradition and attitude towards, and increasing numbers of, elderly and seriously ill people.

The situation for seriously ill and dyng patients is affected by many things. The family’s economy, living conditions, personal relationships, ethnicity and religion are all variables that affect the quality of life of the patient. Certain illnesses such as aids and cancer are stigmatised in certain cultures, and this can affect the patient’s situation and his relations with the community. “We also have to look at the big variations between ethnic groups in order to find out how care is practised. Women are faced with big demands and in addition they are expected to take care of the children,” says Phyllis Antwi.

Takyiwaa Manuh, director of the Institute for African Studies at the University of Ghana, states in the book’s introduction, that the situation for Ghana’s sick and dying is precarious. Manuh emphasises that many ethical aspects need to be discussed in addition to the physical nursing care being offered. The idea for the book originated at a seminar Ghana in 2004 organised by the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana and the University of Bergen. The collaboration was part of a NUFU programme “Globalization and Changing Cultures of Survival and Care: the Case of Ghana”

The article is published in Features 2009/2010