BIOETHICS AND AN AFRICAN VALUE SYSTEM Segun Gbadegesin Howard University Washington, DC 20059

The issues Bioethics and its global reach Bioethics and its global reach African cultures African cultures Yoruba value system Yoruba value system Yoruba values and health care Yoruba values and health care Yoruba culture and the principles of bioethics Yoruba culture and the principles of bioethics Facilitating bioethics in Yorubaland Facilitating bioethics in Yorubaland

African cultures Between diversity and commonality Between diversity and commonality Cultural values Cultural values Moral values Moral values

Yoruba value system Background to community Background to community Individuality and community Individuality and community

Assumptions Person as creature of God Person as creature of God Egalitarianism Egalitarianism Destiny Destiny Capacity for moral virtue Capacity for moral virtue Personhood & communal relationships Personhood & communal relationships

Moral values Against unnecessary harm to persons Against unnecessary harm to persons For human wellbeing and flourishing For human wellbeing and flourishing Responsibility to one’s children and family Responsibility to one’s children and family Responsibility to determine appropriate choices in life (despite destiny) Responsibility to determine appropriate choices in life (despite destiny)

A traditional healthcare scenario Mother Sade, Daughter Laide & Healer Mother Sade, Daughter Laide & Healer –Family as healthcare giver –Mother and daughter as co-destined –An expansive notion of self –Openness vs privacy

Bioethics and Yoruba values Yoruba moral value: Yoruba moral value: – wellbeing or flourishing of person in community  Benefit to human beings  Avoidance of unnecessary harm to persons –Justice

Autonomy? Self-governance Self-governance Self-direction Self-direction –Incompatible practice  Habit of deference to others –Compatible practice  Voluntary request for advice

Autonomy in community Patient’s voluntary involvement of family or faith group Patient’s voluntary involvement of family or faith group Community involvement in public health research Community involvement in public health research –Room for patient refusal even with community consent

Facilitating bioethics in Yorubaland Pay attention to the dynamism of culture Pay attention to the dynamism of culture –Different times; multiple centers –Difference in literacy versus difference in morality –Similarity if not identity of fundamental moral value Make ethical guidelines compatible with fundamental moral value Make ethical guidelines compatible with fundamental moral value