ABSTRACT
The Bariba consider the healer to be a person manifesting the capacity to manipulate the forces of the universe and to wield substances with benevolent intent. The major thrust of government policy regarding maternal and child health has been and continues to be to encourage utilisation of Government maternity clinics for prenatal care and delivery assistance. Case studies from the Bariba village of Pehunko illustrate the current status of indigenous midwifery in a rural Bariba community, as well as delineating the dynamics of clinic use by a rural population. An analysis of the probable fate of indigenous medicine in Benin requires a brief commentary on the larger political context in the country. Whether or not Freidson has determined that recruitment, licensing and ethics are peripheral to professional status, these criteria are of significant interest to national governments attempting to regulate and control indigenous medical systems.
