RESUMO
In a rural area of intense and permanent malaria transmission in Southwest Côte-d'lvoire, traditional midwifes of the Yacouba ethnic group, with also an important function for the children health and care, were interviewed in 2002 about their knowledge of the infantile pathologies. Their nosology is greatly based on symptoms and etiologic explanations of the disorder of secretions. The accumulation of a viscous liquid in different parts of the body, especially in the chest, the throat or the head, explains numerous febrile or afebrile diseases, including malnutrition. Some pathologies, particularly convulsions, are described by analogy with animals behaviour Relations between these entities and the biomedical ones are difficult to establish. The traditional care and treatments result from these concepts. A vomiting child or a child suffering from diarrhoea is subject to devices to evacuate his excess of liquid. Yellow brews are used against jaundice. Furthermore, an important mistrust remains towards medical treatments particularly for all parenteral therapies. Health facilities are only used as a the last resort. Their bad reputation is confirmed by the high rate of mortality of patients coming often too late. To improve malaria care management, health-care workers have to take into consideration these concepts and also prove their abilities to ensure good medical practices.
