Transforming the African Traditional Heating Therapy for Malaria Treatment and Body Spa (CICI*) Into Machine-Based Therapy

Abstract

For ages, different African societies have been effectively applying heating therapy to solve/address various types of illnesses/issues. Two of such are the curing of malaria and a traditional body spa called “Gyaran Jiki” in the Hausa language. On one hand, the African traditional method of treating malaria via heating therapy entails the collection of specific herbs which are boiled and the patient is covered up in the steam of the boiled herbs. On the other hand, the use of heating therapy for a body spa involves the burning of a particular type of wood in a flameless fire or live coal and the subject is covered in the heat and smoke for a specified period to allow for proper penetration into her skin. These processes and similar ones for achieving other purposes are called “cici” in the Kanuri language. However, these processes have not changed since they have been in use despite the advancement in technology, the need to ensure energy efficiency, and the want for a more scientific approach to achieve better performance. Therefore, the machine-based heating therapy addressed the lack of advancement in this process by initiating and producing a machine to replicate those processes with additional value as virus disinfectant and energy efficiency.