Medicine in Africa Long before the introduction of cosmopolitan medicine, diseases existed and ancient people had their ways of dealing with them. Traditional medicine, dominated the ancient world with different societies embracing different methods of eliminating or reducing the impacts of the prevailing diseases. According to WHO, Traditional medicine refers to the entire knowledge and skills as well as practices that ancient people applied to curb the negative impacts associated with infections. Basically, Tm depended on theories, beliefs and experiences that different cultures held and believed were necessary in maintaining health, and hence the existence of different Traditional medicines such as Chinese, Indian, and African.
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African practitioners perform magic, heal via spiritually linked methods that sometimes turn chaotic due to differences between gods and human beings (Abdullahi, 2011). In western Africa, there are common instances where a patient passes out or worsens while being treated. Unlike in cosmopolitan practitioners where the physician and nurses sympathize with the diseased, traditional medics happen to warn family members with stern words. Basically, in case of inefficiencies, it is not the herbs that fail, but failure of the victims to adhere to strict dosage guidelines, and if not rectified could destroy the entire family or society. Thus, it appears as if these practitioners are evil, and their stern warnings creates a negative notion to the western medics advocates who are either naïve or loathe the practice. In essence, African medics are fighters of witchcraft and always aim at eradicating the evils brought about by …show more content…
In most countries, traditional doctors are viewed as primitive, unethical and uncivilized lot that not only increases the risk of patients but also upsurges spread of some disorders. Thus, the government s do not allocate enough financial incentives to develop this valuable component of health care. Use of herbs and direct plant extracts reduces body hype reactions associated with some chemically made medicines. Support to herbal medicine research in African countries is low and hence the community remains at the stake of these illiterate traditional doctors. Kasilo et al (2011), suggest that adequate integration of African medicine in the health care system would reduce the prevalent risks e while improving the community’s general health status. There has been an increased cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants in several states of Africa such as Zimbabwe and Uganda, but translation of these plants to effective healthcare is still low. Lack of well-established research facilities, limited and faulty research data especially on safety, efficacy and quality of these traditional medicines m is assumed to be the major cause. Most African countries are underdeveloped and lack resources to conduct effective phase II clinical trials and hence the maintained perception that traditional medicines are primitive. Lack of policies to support
African practitioners perform magic, heal via spiritually linked methods that sometimes turn chaotic due to differences between gods and human beings (Abdullahi, 2011). In western Africa, there are common instances where a patient passes out or worsens while being treated. Unlike in cosmopolitan practitioners where the physician and nurses sympathize with the diseased, traditional medics happen to warn family members with stern words. Basically, in case of inefficiencies, it is not the herbs that fail, but failure of the victims to adhere to strict dosage guidelines, and if not rectified could destroy the entire family or society. Thus, it appears as if these practitioners are evil, and their stern warnings creates a negative notion to the western medics advocates who are either naïve or loathe the practice. In essence, African medics are fighters of witchcraft and always aim at eradicating the evils brought about by …show more content…
In most countries, traditional doctors are viewed as primitive, unethical and uncivilized lot that not only increases the risk of patients but also upsurges spread of some disorders. Thus, the government s do not allocate enough financial incentives to develop this valuable component of health care. Use of herbs and direct plant extracts reduces body hype reactions associated with some chemically made medicines. Support to herbal medicine research in African countries is low and hence the community remains at the stake of these illiterate traditional doctors. Kasilo et al (2011), suggest that adequate integration of African medicine in the health care system would reduce the prevalent risks e while improving the community’s general health status. There has been an increased cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants in several states of Africa such as Zimbabwe and Uganda, but translation of these plants to effective healthcare is still low. Lack of well-established research facilities, limited and faulty research data especially on safety, efficacy and quality of these traditional medicines m is assumed to be the major cause. Most African countries are underdeveloped and lack resources to conduct effective phase II clinical trials and hence the maintained perception that traditional medicines are primitive. Lack of policies to support