INTEGRATION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS

4.1 STRENGTHENING OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AND PROMOTION OF COMPLEMENTARITY BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND WESTERN MEDICINES (LEARNING FROM SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE, EX. ZINATA)

OBJECTIVE:

·Strengthening of TM Organization

ACTIONS:

·      Provincial/district umbrella through organization

·      National Association

·      Legislation for legal recognition and status

·      Independent T.H. Council (by act of parliament, regulation and governance

CONSTRAINTS/NEEDS:

·      Political power play between healer organization

·      Public perceptions of T.M.

·      Education level of Healers

·      Political Will

·      Attitudes towards traditional medicine

·      Erosion of culture

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OBJECTIVE:

·      To promote complimentarity between traditional medicine and western medicine.

ACTIONS:

·      Information sharing

·      Training of traditional healing in formal education systems for western doctors.

·      Combination of traditional healing and western medicine at primary health care and clinics level.

·      Strong referral system and report back.

·      Hospital/clinics for traditional healing.

·      Improving professionalism - efficacy of medicine, hygiene, standardization, training of healers.

·      Remove legislative barriers that prevent complimentarity and create legal framework to allow complimentarity.

·      Strong research and development in traditional medicine.

·      Regional co-operation of Healer Associations.

·      Needs for joints workshops between traditional medicine and western medicine.

CONSTRAINTS/NEEDS:

·      Continued resistance by western medicine and traditional medicine.

·      Political will

·      Negative public perception of traditional medicine

·      Lack of respect

·      Deceit

·      Appropriate legislation

·      Equitable sharing of government and donor resources.

MAIN ACTORS:

·      Traditional healer Associations

·      N.G.O. e.g. Tramso

·      Government

·      Medical Council (western & traditional community)

·      Universities

·      Funding agencies.

                                               

4.2       SUITABLE APPROACHES IN THE PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE THROUGH PARTICIPATORY METHODOLOGIES (LEARNING FROM SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCES, EX. TRAML NETWORK)

PROBLEM:

·      Isolated efforts among key players

·      Non participatory methodologies in the promotion and development of traditional medicine (top down).

OBJECTIVES:

·      Coordination of efforts through participatory methods for promotion of research and development.

STRATEGIES:

·      Insist on community and traditional healer participations at all levels.

·      Prioritization of areas for promotion and development in a participatory manner.

·      Networking of key players

·      Delegating specific tasks to specific people.

CONSTRAINTS/NEEDS:

·      Lack of coordination among key players

·      Lack of media of publication on traditional medicine in Africa

·      Lack of technical expertise

·      Top-down approach by donors governments and policy makers especially WHO

·      Lack of uniform professional standards

·      Negative attitudes towards traditional medicine by some institutions.

ACTIVITIES:

·      Launch an african journal on traditional medicine.

·      Media releases on the aspects of traditional medicine (e.g. Radio, newsletters, local newsletters).

·      Fund raising for community identified activities.

·      Development of a regional, clear and timely plan of action.

MAIN ACTORS:

·      All country representatives at this meeting.

·      Communities.

4.3       TRAINING AND DIFFUSION OF INFORMATION WITHIN THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS (BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE SYSTEMS)

PROBLEM:

·      Lack of common understanding and communication and poor co-operation between traditional medicine and western medicine on causes and treatment of disease.

·      Limited integrated approach to health care delivery.

·      Prejudices on both sides (traditional medicine and western medicine).

·      Limited training system and resources which incorporates both health care systems.

OBJECTIVES:

·      Provide health care system appropriate to the community it serves.

·      To achieve a complementary/collaborative approach to health care delivery.

·      Promote an understanding and tolerance of the two world views and learning from one another and promote an awareness of the value of both systems.

STRATEGIES:

·      Set up channels of communication within existing structures and identify key players.

·      Define areas of common ground and needs of the communities in need of health care and the operating systems (western and traditional) between all three.

·      Inventoring existing resources Chuman, infrastructure, institutions, plants, organisations, governments, departments).

·      Identify gaps.

·      Facilitate access to resources.

·      Create national training programmes starting at local levels and then other levels (PHC, Propogation, conservation).

·      To achieve government recognition at an appropriate H.C. ? health community/healer community? System.

ACTIVITIES:

·      Meeting of representatives of all relevant stakeholders to establish plans of action (media, workshop, education material, etc.)

·      Evaluate coping skills and implement better wage/meet needs (focus at local level first).  Improve institutional systems to avoid ----? And abuse.

·      Information dissemination and establish health care facilities.

·      Develop suitable educational materials and develop further mechanisms and lobby authorities.

NEEDS AND CONSTRAINTS:

·      Limited resources (human, infrastructure, etc.)

·      In both systems - waste, duplication, abuse, lack of controlls - no accountability.

·      Lack of motivation and political will.[2]

·      Lack of consultation within/between institutions and government departments.

·      Lack of clarity about restructuring and agendas (S.A.)

·      Lack of organisation between institutions and government departments

·      Lack of unity between healer organizations.

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[2] Integration