LIST OF DISEASES AND THEIR YORUBA EQUIVALENTS/NAMES
Today’s article is to serve as a reference, for those who may want to connect to their roots, learn to communicate with others (patients, doctors, health workers, bypassers), or even for those curious enough to search the web for the Yoruba name(s) of certain diseases.
Here is a list of diseases and health related words in the Yoruba language. This list, though comprehensive, is not exhaustive.
Abdominal pain (Belly ache) – Inú rírun
AIDS – ààrùn ìsọdọ̀lẹ àjẹsára
Amnesia – Ìgbàgbé
Anaemia – Àìsàn àìlẹjẹtó
Peptic ulcer/stomach ulcer- Ogbé inù
Jaundice – Iba ponju-ponjuAnxiety – Àìfọkànbàlẹ
Asthma – Ikọ efée/Ikó sémísèmí
Backache – Ẹ̀yín ríro
Small pox- sopona/shopona
Body ache – Ara ríro
Boil – Eéwo
Cancer – Àrùn Jẹjẹrẹ
Cholera – Àrùn Onígbáméjì
Communicable disease – Arun aranni
Congenital disease – Àrùn abínibí
Cough – Ikọ
Craw-craw – Kuruno, Ìṣaka
Dental caries – Eyín kíkẹ
Dental plaque – Gẹdẹgẹdẹ eyín
Diabetes – Àtọgbẹ, Ito suga
Diarrhea – Ìgbẹ gbuuru
Dry cough – Ikọ gbígbẹ
Dysentry – Ìgbẹ ọrìn
Elephantiasis – Jàbùtẹ, Òkè
Epidemic – Àjàkálẹ-àrùn
Epilepsy – Wárápá
Fever – Ibà
Furuncle/Boil – Eéwo
Genetic disease – Àrùn àfijogún; Àrùn ìdílé
Gonorrhea – Àtọsí
Guineaworm – Sòbìyà
HIV – Kòkòrò Apa Sójà Ara
High blood pressure/hypertension – Ẹjẹ ríru
Hookworm – Jàgbàyà
Infectious disease – Àrùn aranni
Kwashiokor – Kwaṣiọkọ
Leprosy – Ẹ̀tẹ
Malaria – Ibà, Ibàá-gbóná
Measles – Kitipi, èeyi
Meningitis – Ibà-orí
Moist cough – Ikọ dídẹ
Pneumonia – Àrùn ẹdọforó/òtútù ayà
Polio; poliomyelitis – Àìsàn rọpárọsẹ; Àrùn ẹ̀sọ ọ̀pá-ẹhìn wíwú
Productive cough – Ikọ fífẹ
Rabies – Àrùn dìgbòlugi
Ringworm – Ekùsá, làpálàpá, kúrùpá
Scabies – Èékú
Scurvy – Ekúru
Skin rash – Eékú, Eéyi, ẹyún
Small pox – Ṣọpọná, Ilẹẹgbóná, Òde, Ṣáṣá
Stomach ache – Inú rírun
Stomach ulcer – Ọgbẹ-inú
Stroke – Àrùn ẹ̀gbà
Tooth cavity – Akokoro
Tuberculosis – Jẹdọjẹdọ/Ikó ifee
Typhoid fever – Ibà jẹfunjẹfun
Typhus fever – Ibà wórawóra
Water borne diease – Àrùn ẹgbin omi
Whooping cough – Ikọ líle ọmọdé
Yaws, Frambesia – Gbòdògì
Yellow fever – Ibà pupa
Cold sore or herpes: Ishirun
Hepatitis-Enyi-olobe
Sore throat – Bèlúbèlú
Rheumatism- Aromóleégun
Sickler/ sickle cell anemia – Fi ònìkú fòla dìde
Tooth ache- Eyín ríro
Goitre- Gbegbe
Fibroid- Oyun iju
By Dr. Oluwaseyitan Adesegun
(MBBS, Babcock University )
http://yoruba-scipedia.wikidot.com/wiki:ilera-health-aw-n-aisan-ara-diseases-of-the-body
