Primary health care in Zaire

This briefing is based on unpublished research conducted while the author was Chief of the Medical Anthropology Seminar, Centre International de Semiologie, National University of Zaire, 1975–78, and during subsequent brief visits. The term ‘biomedicine’ refers to diagnosis and treatment based on scientific biological research. As practised in Zaire, however, western‐style medicine may involve very little scientific method, and equipment and training bear little resemblance to modern standards of biomedicine. ‘Folk practitioners’ are herbalists, diviners and religious healers, empirical midwives and others. Traditional medicine, a term with ideological overtones, is avoided.