1-2
The more deeply your group explores this example of ‘health education’, the
clearer the picture will become. Encourage the group to notice ways in which
this kind of teaching affects how people view themselves, their abilities, and their
needs. Persons may observe that:
“That kind of teaching makes the mothers
feel ashamed and useless—as if their own
carelessness and backwardness were to
blame for their children’s ill health.”
“The health worker acts like she is God
Almighty! She thinks she knows it all and
the mothers know nothing!”
“Her uniform separates her from the mothers
and makes her seem superior. It gives her
outside authority. This may strengthen
people’s respect for her, but: it weakens
their confidence in their ability to take the
lead themselves.”
“I don’t think her health advice is realistic. Not
for the poor in our area! It’s easy to tell people
to boil drinking water. But what if a mother with
hungry children spends her food money to buy
firewood? Also, where we live, the land is already
being turned into a desert because so many trees
are being cut. For us, this ‘health message’ would
make no sense.”*
“This is the way most of us were
taught in school. The teacher
is the boss. The students are
considered to ‘know nothing’.
They are expected simply to
repeat what they’re told But isn’t
this just another way of keeping
the poor on the bottom?”
“I agree! This kind of ‘health
education’ might get mothers
to boil water, wash their hands,
and use latrines. But in the
long run it may do more to
prevent than to promote the
changes we need for lasting
improvements in our health.”
The instructors, health workers, or villagers who discuss this question may arrive
at answers similar to or very different from those suggested above. Their responses
will depend, in part, on the local situation. But in part they will depend on how
carefully the group looks at, thinks about, and ‘analyzes’ the issues involved
*For more discussion about boiling drinking water, see p. 15-3