Background: The Cultural practices of communities are known to influence the Health status of the community both positively and negatively. To achieve set out health goals positive cultural practices should be enhanced and incorporated into community based health programmes. This commentary aims to highlight the positive and negative effects of cultural practices on health using the Nupes a tribe in North central Nigeria as a reference point.
Method: Information on the cultural practice of Nupe people and the related health effects were obtained through observation, group discussion and interviews among Katcha people, a Nupe community in Nigerstate of Nigeria. Literature of the effects of cultural practices on health was reviewed using MEDLINE and manual library search.
Results: Cultural practices with positive health effects such a "Tamako" a system of community based assistance to the sick was found among the Nupes in Katcha. This system is useful in defraying hospital bills of indigent members of the community. Another positive practice is the culture of food assistance and gifts to nursing mothers which helps to improve their nutritional status. However Negative cultural practices such as child marriage, "Sadakiar" (wife gifts), "Egikpa" (child fostering) and "Efidan" (body scarifications) are also practiced.
Conclusion: Cultural practices have significant effects on health. Most of these effects are detrimental and should be discouraged. Cultural practices with positive effects should be encouraged and integrated into community based health policies and programmes in order to enhance the attainment of the millennium development goals especially in rural communities of the developing world.