Cyberculture and E-health Communication in Africa

Abstract

Culturally and traditionally, Africa is complex, and homogeneity is highly improbable. As it is complexed and diversified in its societal norms and customs, so too are the health issues on the continent. Cybercultural practices of telemedicine and other online access to e-health facilities on the World Wide Web have compounded matters for health issues for users, patients, doctors, and other health practitioners. Privacy seems to be the catchphrase and the practical reality for any given individual. With the open source facilities provided by the Internet, there appears to be no dividing line between public and private lives on cyberspace. There are health matters that must be discussed in the presence of a doctor through in-person contact. Nowadays, it is becoming rather an uphill battle to get to a doctor in Africa, and so electronic face-to-face meeting with a health practitioner in another country or state is the new norm.