Use of traditional medicine rising


Conventional medicine has many limitations. One of those is its failure to incorporate or understand the spiritual.
And in comes traditional medicine. Traditional medicine refers to health practices, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant medicines and spiritual therapies to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses.  Not only is it considered cheap it is also easily available and does not need prescriptions. And taking traditional medicine is becoming a fad. Where in the past it was only those in the lower strata of the economy who would visit a healer for his or her herbs, the profession now boasts a moneyed and educated customer . And there is no secrecy anymore about its consumption. Take this scene from the Gaborone Taxi Station:
A man in his late 30s arrives and asks the herbalist if he can get his medicine. He could be buying aspirin from his demeanour, there is no discomfort despite the fact that four other people, one of whom is a photographer stand at the 'shop' He adds for added clarity  'ke batla tlhamalala le mojakabomo'. At this point the old woman produces a bag full of herbs and gives three packages to the man.
The packages contain lucky portions, according to the herbalist Elizabeth Madeluka from Senete. They will help one find a job and straighten things when things are not going right in your life, she says.  The man is only one of about 50 people who will visit Madeluka's store today. To the left of Madeluka stands another "herbal shop' at which a middle-aged man takes a swig of monepenepe- a popular all-rounder and painkiller. He pays as he wipes his lips and leaves.
People from all walks of life frequent these herbal stalls. None looks over his or her shoulder to see if someone is following them. In their eagerness to get their packages they are almost oblivious to the usual station melee.

"Traditional medicine has always been an integral part of African life, healing the spiritual and physical ailments of the people," says Madeluka. She is a veteran in herbal medicine, having started her trade in the 1970s.  The spiritual efficacy of traditional medicine is evident when they are used to ward off evil spirits, remove impending danger, accidents, bad omen or misfortune, and to protect one's family. In addition, these 'doctors' provide medicines to improve peoples' probability of success in commerce, industry and public service, and to enhance the ability of couples to have many children. Traditional healers also provide herbs for use in marriage and funeral ceremonies."
But there is often no scientific data to vouch for the efficacy of the herbs. That they also can operate on a spiritual plane is at best laughable to medical science. Thus European missionaries and Western medicine maligned traditional medicine, associated with evil and managed to turn many from using it. Those who used it would visit a traditional doctor under the cover of darkness and solicit for whatever charm he or she wanted. "We used it before the coming of modern medicine and it worked. What people need to know is that the medicine we sell is extracted from plants, " says 54-year old Madeluka, who is a member of the healers club - Dingaka tsa Setso Association.
While she says that stigma associated with taking herbal medicine is fading, Madeluka has a warning for those who still want to keep the fact that they take the medicine a secret. Madeluka says the secretive use of traditional medicine is dangerous as some people could end up overdosing because of the fear of openly consulting the 'experts'.

Another traditional medicine vendor, Gaefele Tsele who has been in the trade for 28 says she has observed that in recent years young people are not ashamed to seek her services compared to 10 years back when her clientele was made up of largely old people. Tsele says she introduced ready made concoctions about 10 years back and people have always felt free to buy and consume it where she operates-in public. The greatest gratification to any herbalist, she says is to see one's patients getting healed. In that case they do not have to frequent her store complaining about the same ailment.
Tsele says that because traditional medicine has not been subjected to lab tests, it would be moot to talk about a middle ground for traditional and modern medicine, "But people should know that there are instances where either of them can work best," he says.

Professor Ishmael Mosesane, from the Chemistry department at the University of Botswana, concurs that in the past people kept their use of herbal medicine secretive, but that the trend is changing. Professor Mosesane who is studying the molecular nature and efficacy of traditional medicine says that less secrecy means lower incidents of overdose. Furthermore these incidents will become much fewer as his department works with traditional doctors in his research.

"This could help us extract active components in the plants and see which of them play a vital role, " he says.
Mosesane who has been doing research in this field since 1992, says the open use of the products also means that researchers now have access to information and they conduct research having better relationships with both the healers and consumers.

With Mosesane's work, the partnership with traditional doctors and the willingness of patients amazing results can be achieved. Perhaps one day, we will have our own Viagra from the traditional 'moporota' tuber whose potency many a man swears by.  Already we hear that there is a growing demand for traditional medicines throughout the developed world; Over 50 percent of Europeans and North Americans have used traditional medicines and 90% of Germans use herbal medicines. Millions more use traditional medicine in the Americas and Asia. Translate those numbers into monetary value and we could soon be raking in billions of Pula in exported traditional medicine.

MEMORANDUM OF DEMANDS TO PRESIDENT JACOB GEDLEYIHLEKISA ZUMA By TRADITIONAL HEALERS & PATIENTS




Traditional Healers march to the Union Building in Pretoria to force government to IMPLEMENT Traditional Healers rights

We, the traditional healers of this country representing the following associations : Traditional Healers Organisation, Tshwane Healers Forum, Dingaka Healers Association, Nyangazezizwe Traditional Healers Organisation, African Traditional Health Practitioners’ Union in partnership with Patients from around the country formally register our dissatisfaction and unhappiness in the manner in which the government and in particular, the Ministry of Health under the leadership of the Honourable Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi treat traditional healers.

Our move has been motivated by lack of response from government to address our concerns as traditional healers. The attitude and behaviour we have received from government since our attempt to engage with them is left us no choice but to take this action.

 Today, we demand answers.  We have resorted to this action after numerous attempts to engage the Department of Health and other structures fell on deaf ears.
We want to know when traditional healers and patients will see and feel being part of a democratic South Africa which we all fought hard for and defended. We demand that government start taking issues pertaining to traditional healing seriously and consult with us on a regular basis. We demand to see this commitment in simple written language 14 days after this action.

Issues
We believe the government should be supportive and demonstrate respect for all health professions including traditional health care. Minister of health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi and his department has shown little if not total disrespect for healers and the more than 70% of people who utilise traditional medicine.

Programmes on traditional and complimentary medicine seem not to enjoy equal pride of space within the Ministry and this has been our main concern for a long time.  We resolved at our National Conference held in Johannesburg in February this year that there was a need to put pressure on government in order for her to review her position in this matter. Healers feel humiliated, let down and insulted by the Health Ministry’s approach to our needs.

This behaviour perpetuates the stereotype that healers are equal to witches and therefore not deserving respect and cannot be treated with dignity.

 We would like to draw your attention to the following demands from healers from all the nine provinces:
  • We want Government to implement the THP Act regulations. This include the formation of the Council, recognition of sick-notes from traditional health practitioners, medical aid pay out to traditional healers ,formal registration of healers in the country, funding and protection of research on traditional medicines
  • Establishment of a Ministry and Department of Traditional and Complimentary medicine
  • Review of the Witchcraft Suppression Act of 1957 which categorises every “spiritual person as “satanic or practising witchcraft”
  • Inclusion of Traditional Medicine into the National Health Insurance
  • To accredit traditional healers as formal co-researchers to prevent exploitation by western researchers hence we call for the promulgation of the Draft African Traditional Medicine policy 
  • Institutionalise Traditional Medicine at all levels of government
  • Government to act on corrupt officials who use budget allocated for traditional healers training and developmental programmes  for personal gain
  • We demand participation in genuine democratic processes of consultation and citizenship
  • Open access to comprehensive information on all forms of treatment
  • Major healers associations should be well supported and consulted by relevant departments and government before major health decisions are taken
  • Government to develop policies and laws that promote partnership in traditional medicine research and development with the private sector as part of its BEE strategy (Pharmaceutical industry)
  • Improvement of traditional health care standards through training and development
  • Traditional Medicine should be mainstreamed in all government  departments including the office of the Presidency
  • Develop relevant policies and laws that promote and protect traditional medicines 
Press Release, Thursday, May 12

Africa’s health examined



The first Africa Health will bring together all manner of stakeholders in the medical field, including medical and complementary healthcare professionals, and equipment manufacturers.

HEALTH and wellness and the unique health concerns of Africa, will be the focus of the first Africa Health exhibition and congress, running from 9 to 11 May at the MTN Expo Centre in Nasrec.
Health practitioners
More than 250 international exhibitors are expected at Africa Health
Organisers say the expo is not only for medical specialists but also for those who have an interest in the field.
A range of topics and sectors will be exhibited, in the Western and complementary medicine fields, such as infectious diseases and childbirth. There will be a complementary medicine programme, with high-profile speakers on alternative medicine such as tibb, homeopathy, indigenous and traditional.
The conference will cover general principles for implementing complementary medicine, including global trends and the impact of traditional and complementary medicine and skin disease in the developing world.
It will also look at the proper use of traditional, complementary and alternative medicines and the importance of patient awareness in developing regions. Research and development regarding the eradication of infectious diseases such as TB and HIV/Aids on the African continent will also be addressed.

“The most important and compelling reason for attending the conference is to highlight the importance and impact that infectious diseases have in Africa,” said Dr Mana Kasongo, the co-ordinator of the South African HIV Clinicians’ Society and the chair of the conference.

Women’s health
Pregnancy and childbirth will also have a high profile in bid to improve the standards and quality of women’s healthcare on the continent. Every year, nearly 200 000 women in sub-Saharan Africa – or 500 a day – die from pregnancy-related causes such as haemorrhage, hypertension and obstructed labour. Aids and malaria are also critical in this group.
“Three-quarters die from conditions which can be prevented or treated with well-known interventions and through skilled care. Making this care accessible to women will reduce the burden of maternal deaths,” says Dr Stephen Munjanja, the senior lecturer in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Zimbabwe.

More than 250 international exhibitors will be at the exhibition, coming from countries such as China, Germany, Taiwan, France, Italy, United States, United Kingdom and India. Exhibitors include those in the nursing sector through to senior healthcare professionals, manufacturers, suppliers, policy makers, traditional healers and alternative healthcare practitioners.
A product demonstration
A product demonstration
It will be attended by medical industry professionals; dealers and distributors looking to source and research pioneering technology and equipment; suppliers, manufacturers, agents and buyers of products; policy makers from government authorities; private sector healthcare organisations; institutions; academics; and healthcare professionals. 

“This will be a unique experience for all in the healthcare sector to learn, educate, network and focus on issues that are important and relevant to them,” says Kerry Oliver, the event’s publicist.

In all, there will be over 5 000m2 of products and services on display. Siemens, Karl Storz, Fuji, Maquet and Terumo will be some of the exhibitors on the floor.

Hospital
Anne-Mie Tack, the marketing manager of Agfa HealthCare, says Africa has shown significant improvement in the sector thanks to the increase in quality hospitals and qualified doctors. The continent has taken measures to modernise and structure its healthcare system and is moving towards increased efficiencies and cost-effectiveness.
“Due to this reason, there exists an immense opportunity for the need to supply a wide range of medical equipment and disposables to meet the demand for quality healthcare services in African regions,” she explains.

The expo is an extension of Arab Health, the largest exhibition and conference of its kind in the Middle East, held to enhance global healthcare. For the African instalment, the latest technology in live surgery link-ups, professional case studies and presentations will keep senior healthcare professionals informed on diagnosis and increased opportunities for the supply of hospital equipment, instrumentation, machinery and other products and services.

“Africa Health 2011 is a timely event since the world’s healthcare development and funding is currently focused towards African countries, and the significant improvements made in the standard of healthcare over the years in South Africa, makes it an ideal location to host this event,” says Ken Takagi, the chief executive and senior general manager of Terumo Corporation.
The congress and exhibition is endorsed by the South African Medical Association and is jointly organised by IIR South Africa BV and IIR Holdings Dubai. It is supported by the departments of Health and Social Development, and Gauteng Province.

Doors will be open from 9am until 5pm; entry to the exhibition is free. For more information, visit the expo website.