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

List of diseases and their Yoruba equivalents
List of diseases and their Yoruba equivalents/names Credit: Wikipedia

By Dr. Oluwaseyitan Adesegun
(MBBS, Babcock University )

http://yoruba-scipedia.wikidot.com/wiki:ilera-health-aw-n-aisan-ara-diseases-of-the-body

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