The use of medicinal plants as a fundamental component of the african traditional healthcare system is perhaps the oldest and the most assorted of all therapeutic systems. The interface of traditional and modern medicine is likely to occur at this level where the community can participate and plan the provision of heath care services. Medicinal plants and traditional practices of xhosa people. History of southern africa south african history online. Ethnomedicine, medicinal plants, south africa, traditional systems, transkei, xhosa ipc int. South africa is the third most biodiverse country in the world and inhabitants have for centuries employed the help of indigenous medicinal plants. In general, traditional medicines are not well researched, and are poorly regulated. Medicinal plants used for the treatment of sexually.
Traditional south african remedies that are true lifesavers. Local traditions have grown and changed over thousands of years in response to culture, religion and migration. Traditional medicine incorporates all forms of herbal, spiritual and holistic healing methods, while western medicine is all chemically labtested medications. Traditional practices and medicinal plants use during. A tree towers over the spot where, as legend has it, missionary and explorer david livingstones heart is. The fabrication of metallic tools and implements, textile production, traditional medicine or food processing, involved the. In africa around 80% of people use traditional medical systems for much or all of their health care. Medicine, african traditionalafrica south of the sahara. Nrf of south africa and the south african medical research council mrc. Yet, there is not enough research on the african traditional medicine concerning this aspect of health. Isangomas and inyangas are the two main types of indigenous or traditional healers in south africa. These healing plants treated all sorts of maladies including cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis tb as well as more benign complaints such as the. Unpacking the new proposed regulations for south african. Use of traditional herbal medicines in developed countries 2.
There is a paucity of literature describing traditional health practices and beliefs of african women. Zulu traditional medicines umuthi zulu speaking people. This paper examines the trends and challenges of traditional medicine in africa. This study analyzed the role of traditional healing as a health care delivery. This new information provides valuable contributions to the ethnobotanical records of south africa and indicates that the ethnobotanical knowledge of the zulu ethnic group is incompletely documented. The use of traditional medicine in maternity care among. African traditional medicine is a mainstay of primary health care for the majority in africa. If traditional medicines are to be prescribed, marketed and sold as part of a healthcare system recognised under sa law, they must meet the same stringent standards. In south africa, however, most people associate traditional health care with the herbs, remedies or muti and advice given by african traditional healers known as sangomas or izinyangas. This blurring of medical as well as cultural boundaries made white medical practitioners and government authorities q uite uncomfortable and raised important questions regarding the very nature of socalled traditional medicine and the role of licensed inyangas. Health knowledge, attitudes, practiceafrica south of the sahara. Chapter 2 establishment and governance of interim traditional health practitioners council of south africa establishment of interim traditional health practitioners council 4. Unlike its western counterpart, traditional african medicine is said to take a holistic approach, which is based on the premise of interconnectedness, and often includes indigenous herbalism in its treatment.
Oral literature encompasses fables, folktales, legends myths and. A situation analysis in zambia and zimbabwe iii acronyms csir south african council for scientific and industrial research nema national environmental management act tmpc traditional medicinal practitioners council thpaz traditional health practitioners association of zambia mcz medical council of zambia. Traditional medicine appears on the shelves of almost 80 percent of the south african population, and in much of rural africa, it is the only form of treatment that exists. In subsaharan africa, the ratio of traditional healers. Traditional medicine features in the lives of thousands of people in south africa every day. Zulu traditional medicines or umuthi have changed very little over the ages. According to the who, 6580% of the worlds healthcare practice involves the use of traditional medicine tm, commonly referred to as complementary and alternative medicine cam, in some way. Traditional medicine uses approximately 3,000 out of 30,000 species of higher plants of southern africa. Xhosa boys prepare for a traditional manhood ceremony in south africa. Traditional african medicine and its role in healing in a. Who traditional medicine strategy foreword across the world, traditional medicine tm is either the mainstay of health care delivery or serves as a complement to it. Traditional medicine who regional office for africa. It was at this time that the whos traditional medicine programme was established.
Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use in. The who estimates that up to 80% of people in africa make use of traditional medicine. Traditional medicine refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or. The administrators of these traditions have various roles in the zulu society. In many parts of rural africa, traditional healers prescribing medicinal plants are the most easily accessible and affordable health resource available to the local community and at times the only therapy that subsists. Traditional african medicine and conventional drugs.
Pdf traditional and modern medicine in south africa. Traditional medicine refers to the knowledge, skills and practises based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the maintenance of health and in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness. In south africa, over 6 million people are hypertensive and the burden of disease shows that cardiovascular diseases cvds are the leading cause of death among adults. From traditional training to formal education dama mosweunyane1. Background the who estimates that a considerable number of people in subsaharan africa ssa rely on traditional, complementary and alternative medicine tcam to meet their primary healthcare needs, yet there remains a dearth of research evidence on the overall picture of tcam utilisation in the region.
A61k 3600 plants have played a great role in the history of humankind1. The xhosas are the major group inhabitants of the former transkei region of the eastern cape of south africa which is one of the. Herbal medicines in african traditional medicine intechopen. Although treatments exist, few people comply or adhere to recommended treatment due to side effects or costs of the drugs, hence the reliance on alternative forms of treatment. Peranders petterssonreportagegetty images on pages 1, 15, 49, 72, 82, 91, 101, 110, 120, 2, 180, 186, 198. South africa developed a national health plan in 1994 which is based on primary health a care approach. They are the inyanga or herbalist who is concerned with medicines made form plant and animals, the isangoma or witchdoctor who makes contact with the ancestral spirits and prescribes medicine according to their dictates and. The intersection of culture and science in south african. Isangomas are spiritual healers and are often women.
Trends and challenges of traditional medicine in africa. About 80% of the population has relied on resources within their environment to survive since gods creation. It is impossible to summarise the diversity of traditions used by the many cultures. The rural inhabitants in this area, which is mostly women, prefer to use traditional medicine over allopathic medicine for the treatment of stis. Traditional medicinal plant practice in southern africa. Traditional medicine is often termed alternative or complementary. In africa, herbal medicines are often used as primary treatment for hivaids and for hivrelated problems. A response to nyika donna knapp van bogaert abstract like other socalled parallel practices in medicine, traditional medicine tm does not avoid criticism or even rejection.
A large portion of the country falls into the cape floral kingdom, containing approximately 4% of all the worlds plant species. In fact, it is estimated that 80% of the population uses traditional medicines that are collectively called muti. African traditional medicine makes extensive use of botanical products but the medicine prescribed by an inyanga may also include other formulations which are zoological or mineral in composition. One major difference between conventional, western medicine and traditional african medicine, is the way of viewing illnesses and their treatments. This paper examines the relationship between traditional and modern medicine with reference to an experimental research study conducted in south africa, which focused on interviews by traditional. The impact of colonialism on african traditional medicine is also examined. Although the paper is on africa, references are drawn around the world to buttress the growing demand for traditional medicine. In some countries, traditional medicine or nonconventional medicine may be termed complementary medicine cm. Traditional medicine is by no means an alternative practice in south africa, with an estimated 72% of the black african population in south africa relying on this form of medicine, accounting for some 26.
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