Indigenous concepts of natural disasters in relation to health: An exploration in rural Bangladesh

Abstract:

Natural hazards in Bangladesh account for almost 11% of total hazards reported throughout entire Asia. Geographical location, over population and poverty made the country more vulnerable to the Natural disaster. There is a wide range of impacts of natural disasters among all health impact is profound in Bangladesh. In order to take any intervention for disaster preparedness it is necessary to understand the meaning of disaster in relation to health from peoples’ perspective. The primary aim of this particular paper is to capture the detail views of local ways of contextualization of  three specific natural disasters namely, flood, cyclone and draught in relation to health issues.  The study used different  qualitative research tools.  

It is found that the term disaster is used for various ways apart from natural disaster. For example, for rural poor illiterate people ‘price hike’ or ‘famine’ is considered as disaster.  It was also found that different terminologies are used for the same disaster in different localities. The types of diseases people suffer from during different natural disasters include diarrhea, pneumonia, cold, fever, skin diseases, malaria, rheumatic fever etc. Due to crop failure during disaster people face lack of available food, which results low food consumption that ultimately affects their nutrition and health.  Local concept of health security is reported as mainly food and livelihood security. The indigenous coping mechanisms of disasters are different according to the locality, gender, class and type of disaster. The study also uncovered the fact that local people have their indigenous knowledge of sensing the forthcoming disasters and also environmental changes by observing the nature. Reasons behind climate change are considered as punishment from God for the misdeed of human being. This study can provide an insight for any disaster preparedness.