REPORT OF THE PRE-CONFERENCE WORK SESSION ON
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE & THERAPY
ORGANIZED BY GOETHE INSTITUTE, LAGOS, Nigeria
Introduction
As a background to the planning of the conference a
few considerations and perspectives were discussed to
ensure that both the pre-conference and conference
proper produce new insights and probably new angles to
old issues. Traditional medicine and therapy in
contrast to modern [western medicine] appears not to
be in tune with the economic status of the majority in
rural and urban setting. Further more there is also
the proposition that Allopathy, which tends to focus
on Human-kind as if it were parts that can only be
studied and corrected when it malfunctions, raises the
question of wholistic healing as an alternative. Can
this type
of practice be the future of healing in a declining
and fast globalised market, where the disposable
income of individuals is on the decline. New diseases
hitherto unheard of are also on the increase.
The pre-conference work session was designed with the
concept of bringing "hidden" possibilities, products
and procedure to the open - similar to what was done
with the Chinese system of acupressure and
accupuncture. The search was also for break-throughs
or explanations of Traditional medicine
that can appeal to the western audience or raise their
cusiousity for research in a highly unexplored
terrain. What exists within this age-long
practice that can add to, or change the cause of
global knowledge as it relates to healing and
well-being in health, must be constantly discussed
and repackaged for local and international
consumption. Being in the tropics, where the forest
is endowed with exortic plants and animal species
that are yet to be explored and exploited for healing
and prevention of ailments.
Summary of Contributions
In his welcome address to the participants at the work
session, Mr. Richard Lang, Director, Goethe Institut
explained the idea behind the forthcoming
conference on Traditional medicine and therapy. He
made extensive allusion to a similiar conference he
once organized in India a fews years ago.
Furthermore, the Director stated that there are some
diseases today which allopathy seem not to have
remedies for. In his view diseases occur as a
result of the increasing complexities of life. These
diseases are no longer as simple as what obtained a
few years back. In seeking for a sustainable solution
to the issue of health and well-being it is necessary
for every culture to take stock of ancient wisdom and
remedies as possible answers to present problems. The
current global tides must not be allowed to be washed
away with the past.
In addition, Mr. Lang, advised that in searching for
alternatives, systems that consider the human body as
a whole and which establishes the harmony between
nature and the body, must be given prominence. In
this regard, he suggested that the body can help
itself and that the healing process need not be
empirical, there could be certain spiritual dimensions
to the process.
In conclusion, he impored the participants to come up
with suggestions that can help structure a highly
rewarding conference.
Along this line, he hinted that the participants
should take an inward look at what is generally usable
and meaningful in the world and not only for certain
communities in our country.
After Mr. Richard Lang's presentation, individual
contributions were
allowed. The various speakers, who represented a well
selected
cross-section of researchers and practitioners from
the Lagos-Ibadan-Ife
axis, all agreed that the conference being planned is
relevant and
imperative. However, they advised that the conference
should avoid the
pitfalls of previous efforts.
Mrs. Oluyemisi Kusa She made an initial submission
that Herbal Medicine
should be considered as the mainstream form of therapy
for the majority
while orthodox medicine which is out of reach for a
lot of people, should
be considered as the alternative. `Man', she said,
"should be seen as a
holistic being and any solution to his health problem
should take
cognisance of the fact that all parts of the body are
related in one way or
the other". Mrs. Kusa who packages local herbs for
sale, would like the
conference to address the issue of definition as it
relates to the broad
concept of Traditional Medicine. She suggested that
the following aspects
could include as part of the sessions; [a] Herbalism,
with emphasis on its
role in traditional medicine for the promotion of
healthy living; [b]
Homoeopathy; [c] Acupuncture; [d] Acupressure; [e]
Etho-medicine.
Dr. Olufemi Shode Medicinal/industrial chemist
runs a Herbal
cosmetics and Herbal cosmeseutical company. He said
that the philosophy of
his company is to prepare what can be useful to
Nigerians and the black
race by taking from the wisdom of the past and the
advantage of technology.
His main reserch concern is how to preserve both the
product and the
philosophy behind them. A good example of repackaging
is the traditional
black soap his company has in the market. During his
presentation a couple
of issues were raised.
a. Is there a possibility of systematic research
and development for
Traditional medicine and therapy.
b. What procedure outside of the capital
Intensive western mode is
possible and affordable for traditional medicine.
He concluded by suggesting that Understanding
medicinal plants should form
the core of the proposed conference.
Dr. E. O. Olapade A trained Botanist/genetist
who is interested in
phyto medicine and traditional medicine and knowledge.
In his clinic he
has preparations that have proved efficacious in
management of Diabetics
melliatus, paralysis due to Hypertension, etc. As a
trained Botanist he
pointed out the threat to medicinal plants in the
country. He would like
to focus on conservation/recultivation of threatened
species and a survey
of the threatened species. Cited a few examples of
countries where herbal
medicines have been given prominence side by side
orthodox medicine.
Germany he has said "has been active in the
development of phyto
phamaceuticals with proven efficacy, also Japan
captured 56% of the natural
patents in 1987 while in America, herbal medicines are
sold in the form of
Health foods". He said further that there is
therefore an urgent need for
a total re-appraisal of the system in Nigeria to
ensure that natural
endowment of plant genetic resources are gainfully
utilised.
He suggested the following for the forthcoming
conference;
a]. Documentation of indegenous knowledge on
certain medicines which
are widely used. (It is assumped that the findings of
the survey will form
a part of the conference).
b]. In line with the above an
ethnobotanical/ethnomedical survey as it
relates to (i). plants ingredients used, (ii). methods
of preparation of
herbal medicines in the different socio-linguistic
setting in Nigeria
(iii). how the medicines are used, i.e dosage forms
(iv). how they arrived
at the method of preservation [shelf life].
c]. Emphasis should be on useful medicines that
can be mass produced
and commercialised. (In this regard some common
ailments will be targetted
for discourse).
d]. Technical sessions [i]. identifying habitats
of useful plants
[ii]. identifying the status of plants in the
environment across the
country or selected ecozones, [iii]. packaging for
preservation and
marketing.
Notes: Dr. Olapade's contribution shows that the
country cannot be taken
as a monolithic whole in terms of Herbal formulations,
philosophy and
status of phytomedicine.
It is imperative that while choosing the speakers this
point must be borne
in mind. The diversity and varied possibilities
should be explored at the
conference.
Dr. Morounfolu Agbedahunsi - Pharmecologist linked
with the Ife University
group working on medicinal plants and their potentials
for production. The
collaborative research network on traditional medicine
draws from both
scientists and herbal practitioners. The focus of Dr.
Agbedahunsi is to
produce drugs from natural origins, these can be
useful in preventing
parasites in the body system. He however warned that
certain herbal
preparation may be toxic to the body if not properly
analysed, methods of
preparations are very essential in herbal formulations
and this should be
included as a sub-theme during the conference.
He suggested that the following areas should be
focused upon:
a]. Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology of plants
used in the prevention
or treatment of diseases.
b]. Botany and taxonomy of plants used in
management (of certain
common) diseases should be featured during the
technical session.
Co-ordinator's Note This should be taken to mean
newly classified plants
that have hitherto been neglected or overlooked in the
prevention or
management of common ailments or newly reported
ailments that allopathy has
no known remedies for yet. In this case stumble finds
and information for
a data bank may ensue. Consequently, Nigerian Society
of Pharmacognosy
should be contacted to make suggestions from their
journal of natural
products and medicine, which has been in circulation
since 1982.
c]. Traditional methodologies of management of
diseases.
Notes: Here again the diversity in the country will
come into play as a
way of general education for those who will attend the
conference at home
and abroad.
It may also be a step towards documentation of
traditional medicine
practice and not just herbal preparations as has been
the case in most
conferences. The system of diagnosis, treatment,
pharmacology and
training, ethics and patient/client evaluation will be
highlighted. These
various submissions can now be contrasted with
presentation[s] from experts
in Germany on what obtains in Alternative Medicine.
d]. (In a Technical Session), chemistry of the
biological agents,
e]. Standardization of traditional remedies,
toxicology and
pharmacology of natural products used in the treatment
of diseases should
be considered.
f]. Drug development of traditional recipes,
active principles of
natural origin used in treatment of [certain]
diseases.
Notes: These aspects can be considered during work
sessions where local
enterpreneurs, traditional healers, scientists, drug
control agencies and
the media could work out guidelines and also come up
with a comprehensive
data on what is on the ground. Invited foreign
experts can make useful
suggestions based on experience and research interest.
Dr. S. A. Osunwole of Institute of African Studies who
has worked in
collaboration with traditional healers documenting
their knowledge. This
has been done at various levels on tapes, pictures and
in texts. He
proposes an information bank on traditional medicine
and also a book on
First Aid in Traditional Medicine. A glossary of
Yoruba diseases is also
in preparation. In conclusion, Dr. Osunwole called
for the integration of
Traditional medicine into the curriculum and that
traditional medicine is
potent but the information on it is rare because most
practitioners are
getting old and many have in fact passed on without
enthrusting their
knowledge to interested persons. He then posited a
title for the
conference as "promotion of traditional medicine
through research and
documentation". He says as an outcome from the
conference the setting up
of a traditional medicine research and documentation
centre should be a
considered.
Dr. Theresa Adebola John a research fellow and
secretary WHO collaborating
centre for traditional medicine, college of medicine
of the University of
Lagos. She also agreed that this pre-conference
work-session is a useful
forum and went on to talk about the activities of the
WHO collaborating
centre. She said that the present policy of the
Federal Government of
Nigeria only permits the funding and support of
orthodox medicine but that
the centre is trying to verify claims by traditional
medicine healers who
bring such preparations or formulation to the centre.
Also the centre has
on-going projects on research documentation by
scientists. The need for
coordination and avoidance of duplication was
emphasised in her
contribution. Furthermore, she opines that the
various traditional
medicine preparations should be made marketable within
and beyond the
country. In conclusion she wanted the conference to
clarify what
traditional medicine practitioners think about the
concept of medicines
before we deliberate on dosages.
She then suggested that the conference should take a
critical look at
Traditional African Medicine as a vocation or as
religion, methods of
training and the cult connection.
The mentality, methods of practice and language should
be re-examined in
the light of current technology. Why is dosage not
considered by the
practitioners. Metaphysical conception of causes of
diseases and also
remedies should be considered, same for ethics and
norms.
Anthropological and sociological perspectives should
be looked into, how to
obtain information about plant sources
applications/usage, dosage,
documentation.
- rapport, confidence, divulging of information
- sifting/selection of information
- royalty to traditional practitioners
- training of traditional practitioners towards a more
acceptable role in
the society.
Professor A. F. B. Madeje of Department of Medicine
and Dialysis Centre,
Lagos, Univeristy Teaching Hospital. He is a trained
medical practitioner
of many years standing. In his submission he
coroborated some of Dr.
(Mrs.) John's presentations and went on to say that
the centre since
existence has received all sorts of claims from
traditional healers, some
of which he says are spurious. The attitude of the
centre is how to
influence these healers who treat symptoms or causes
and not the root of
the diseases. However, he will want to be sure that
western trained
doctors are in fact talking about the same disease
conditions the
traditional healers are also talking about. He said
in some cases the
traditional healers have only succeeded in surpressing
symptoms by granting
temporary relief. He warned that long term toxicity
accumulation must be
watched out for. In his case, he would rather call
for harmonization
instead of standardization.
In addition, he suggested topics and sub-themes for
the conference.
1. Training traditional medicine practitioners
about documentation of;
i. Patients conditions by taking adequate records
either by
photographs or with text before treatment and after
the completion of
therapy.
ii. The treatments should be faithfully recorded
successes and failures
inclusive.
2. Methods of Diagnosis
3. Role of psychotherapy should be examined
4. The issue of how to harmonize traditional
therapy with orthodox
medicine should be considered.
Notes from Co-ordinator: It can be deduced from
this suggestion that
Dr. A Mabadeje would rather like a practical
conference aimed at
practitioners in the field or a training workshop that
will draw from a
cross-section of scientists interested in traditional
medicine. In this
case any invited guest must be prepared to lecture on
current trends in
alternative medicine in Germany starting from the
history, attitudes of the
state and corporate world to alternative medicine and
end with what German
alternative practitioners are in search of in terms of
missing links or
gaps or even products that can cure certain ailments.
Professor David Okpako - a professor of pharmacology
who since 1977 has
been involved with traditional folklore and culture of
the Ijaw people. He
has to his credit a number of learned papers and
books. The most recent
being one published in conjunction with two other
British Authors by John
Wiley Publishing.
In his contribution, he explained the fundamental
difference between
Traditional African herbal healing and therapy and the
Western perspective
of medicaments. He said one is based on management of
ailment and not
diseases by ensuring that the body can heal or rid its
self of any germs or
pathogens. Whereas Western medicine is based on what
he calls selective
poisoning. By this he means drugs that are poisons
meant to destroy germs
or pathogens with minimal side effects. He further
stated that Traditional
healing practice consists of two closely inter-related
parts;
a}. appreciation of the cause[s] of illness beyond
physiology but
located within the mind, the soul and the
socio-cultural influences;
b}. use of plant remedies and animal parts where
necessary.
It is necessary to understand how the concept of
traditional medicine
evolved, and still evolving. He lamented the
unfortunate aspersion and
misconception of traditional medicine as primitive
because the practice
does not fit into the cast of biomedicine. The plant
remedies prepared by
the healers is NOT the same thing as modern drugs
which contain active
agents alone. It is wrong to subject the preparations
to pharmaceutical
principles because the formulations do not belong
there.
As to diagnosis he said it is difficult for any
medical practitioner to
tell from mere physical examination; some of these
diseases require the
assistance of advanced technology for correct
diagnosis. However, in
traditional medicine practice,the healers recognise
illness and they don't
treat diseases. There are two schools of thought
which must be
highlighted.
a]. Distal[?] causes - the thing that created the
diseases in the individual
b]. Proximal cause. He said distal cause[s] of an
illness cannot be
treated with poisons.
Dosages and Dosage forms: - In addressing the issue,
he differenciated
dosages from dosage forms and went on to state that in
some African
cultures there are no absolute units of measure.
In conclusion, he emphasised that there are points of
convergence in both
orthodox and traditional practices, in that they both
intend the health and
well being of the individuals. The system of
traditional medicine as a
whole should be taken seriously.
He then suggested that the philosophy of traditional
medicine should be the
core of the conference.
Mr. Friday Amos, is a microbiologist who is interested
in setting up a
centre for wholistic medicine. In his contribution to
the work-session he
said, a health delivery system that can be accessible
to majority of
Nigerians is what he advocates. In that wise natural
remedies which are in
harmony with the body and that are within the earning
capacity of the
populace is what should be promoted. He also agreed
with Professor Okpako
that there is a spiritual dimension to [most]
illnesses. He then went on
to elaborate on the approach to establishing wholistic
medicine centre.
The following departments are suggested:
{a}. Research and development, {b} preparations {c}
Analytical and quality
control {d} Packaging {e} Dosage and Treatment
(Administration), etc.
Therefore, Mr. Amos would want the proposed conference
to focus on the
modalities of setting up the wholistic medicine
centre. To achieve this he
will want traditional bone healers, traditional birth
attendants, general
practitioners of herbal medicines and psychosis and
neurosis traditional
experts invited.
Chief Dosu Ekunrin is a Traditional healer who
was trained by his
father a reputable traditional medicine practitioner
who was instrumental
in the formation of various association for
traditional healers. His
healing centre shares location with his brother who is
an orthodox medicine
practitioner. Chief Dosu Ekunrin writes a column in
one of the evening
papaers.
His main interest area is cure of veneral diseases and
infertility.
According to him, laboratory tests are carried out
before and after
treatment. However, this method is not the only one
he uses for diagnosis.
He submitted that:
1. It is a fact that there are a lot of herbs
whose resources are yet
untaped in Nigeria; with encouragement of both
orthodox and traditional
healers working together, a lot could be achieved on
both sides, collect
traditional medicines and test them.
2. It is very necessary to invite more gifted
traditional healers to
rub minds together to know what they have and what
they could gain in
updating their method - on dosage and preparations of
herbs.
3. The conference could concentrate more on ways
to educate
traditional healers on dosage of herbal medicine. How
do we get the right
dosage of herbal medicine, with the fact that, herbal
medicine is totally
different from orthodox.
4. To me a lot of so called scientific tests
destroy the real form of
herbal medicine, we should look for methods of how
traditional medicine,
could be packaged, the right dosage and preparations
and to look for a way
to test how effective herbal claims are without
destroying the efficacy of
a particular herbal medicine.
Co-ordinator's Note: Here again Chief Ekunrin agrees
with Professor
Madadeje that the conference could be focused along
the lines of education
and information sharing for both the orthodox
scientists and traditional
practitioners.
Professor (Mrs.) C. J. Igewllo is the Head,
Department of Pharmacology
College of Medicine, University of Lagos. She has
been involved with
research and co-ordination of traditional medicine at
the sub-regional
level for the last 10 years. From a personal
experience and observation at
other conferences she advised that emphasis should be
laid on Formulations
of the traditional practitioners and not on
Incantations, by this she means
the underlying belief system in traditional medicine
should be
de-emphasised if the conference is to achieve its set
objectives. However,
on another issue of researcher - traditional
practitioner collaboration,
she talked about adequate compensation for the owners
and custodians of the
indigenous knowledge. This then raised the question
of how to guard
intellectual property rights and patents. Should
ethics be a part of the
conference.
Dr. Oluwole Osonobi - head, Department of Botany,
University of Ibadan.
His interest in plant remedies as a plant
physiological ecologist was
stimulated during a visit to China in 1990. The
aftermath of the encounter
in a herbal shop in China encouraged him to take a
look at setting up
experimental herabal gardens and herbarium. He would
want the conference
to focus on modalities for setting up Botanical
gardens and to establish an
information network on herbariums in the country.
Also village level
germplasms on medicinal plants should be encouraged.
The outcome of the
conference must be disseminated widely.
In attendance as observers/participants were:
a. Mr. Akin Jimoh - a Science Reporter with
Guardian Newspapers
b. Ms. Adetoun Ilumoka - Executive Director,
Empowerment and Action
Research Centre, who is interested in the role of
Traditional Medicine in
Reproductive Health of Women.
c. Ms. Loretta Njoku - Programme Director,
Nigerian Institute of
Cultural Orientation (NICO).
d. Ms. Funke Ilumoka - EMPARC.
PRE-CONFERENCE WORK SESSION ON TRADITIONAL MEDICINE &
THERAPY
Consensus
The participants after extensive deliberations agreed
that there should be
four sessions spread over two days. As part of the
conference an
exhibition of traditional remedies should be included.
The structure of
the conference will be that of presenting papers at
plenaries and technical
work sessions where in-depth discussions could be done
with an intent of
developing guidelines or proposals for further
research or collaboration.
Also the conference will focus on two communicable
diseases and one
non-communicable disease. The idea here is to take as
many differing
positions as possible on the choosen diseases. In
this light, some
additional background papers will be encouraged but
not read at the
conference. These will form the basis of the
information data bank
suggested during the work-session. The writers would
have been notified
well in advance to submit such.
Session 1 Overview of the philosophy, patterns
and paradigms in
traditional African medicine and therapy.
Sub-themes: * On belief systems, perspectives of
Africans on what a
drug is *Briefs from WHO collaborating centre, Ife
research Network,
Nigeria's Task Force on Traditional Medicine, Dr.
Olapade's NARL, etc.
Session 2 Technical papers on Biological and
Chemical research of
medicinal plants - findings and prospects.
* Case study of Professor Elujoba's test of
traditional contraceptive rings
on laboratory animals.
Session 3 Ethnobotany and ethnomedicine:
- Change and contnuity in traditional medicine
- Conservation of medicinal plants in particular
threatened species.
- Taxonomy and ecology of medical plants
- Current trends in Naturalpathy - a German
perspective.
Session 4 Curative claims from Traditional
medicine practitioners and
collaborative ventures - marketing, packaging,
corporate business world,
scientists, etc.
KOLE ADE-ODUTOLA
Workshop Co-ordinator
=====
check here for pictures and later a bit of my creative energy.
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/kole2
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TRADITIONAL MEDICINE & THERAPY
ORGANIZED BY GOETHE INSTITUTE, LAGOS, Nigeria
Introduction
As a background to the planning of the conference a
few considerations and perspectives were discussed to
ensure that both the pre-conference and conference
proper produce new insights and probably new angles to
old issues. Traditional medicine and therapy in
contrast to modern [western medicine] appears not to
be in tune with the economic status of the majority in
rural and urban setting. Further more there is also
the proposition that Allopathy, which tends to focus
on Human-kind as if it were parts that can only be
studied and corrected when it malfunctions, raises the
question of wholistic healing as an alternative. Can
this type
of practice be the future of healing in a declining
and fast globalised market, where the disposable
income of individuals is on the decline. New diseases
hitherto unheard of are also on the increase.
The pre-conference work session was designed with the
concept of bringing "hidden" possibilities, products
and procedure to the open - similar to what was done
with the Chinese system of acupressure and
accupuncture. The search was also for break-throughs
or explanations of Traditional medicine
that can appeal to the western audience or raise their
cusiousity for research in a highly unexplored
terrain. What exists within this age-long
practice that can add to, or change the cause of
global knowledge as it relates to healing and
well-being in health, must be constantly discussed
and repackaged for local and international
consumption. Being in the tropics, where the forest
is endowed with exortic plants and animal species
that are yet to be explored and exploited for healing
and prevention of ailments.
Summary of Contributions
In his welcome address to the participants at the work
session, Mr. Richard Lang, Director, Goethe Institut
explained the idea behind the forthcoming
conference on Traditional medicine and therapy. He
made extensive allusion to a similiar conference he
once organized in India a fews years ago.
Furthermore, the Director stated that there are some
diseases today which allopathy seem not to have
remedies for. In his view diseases occur as a
result of the increasing complexities of life. These
diseases are no longer as simple as what obtained a
few years back. In seeking for a sustainable solution
to the issue of health and well-being it is necessary
for every culture to take stock of ancient wisdom and
remedies as possible answers to present problems. The
current global tides must not be allowed to be washed
away with the past.
In addition, Mr. Lang, advised that in searching for
alternatives, systems that consider the human body as
a whole and which establishes the harmony between
nature and the body, must be given prominence. In
this regard, he suggested that the body can help
itself and that the healing process need not be
empirical, there could be certain spiritual dimensions
to the process.
In conclusion, he impored the participants to come up
with suggestions that can help structure a highly
rewarding conference.
Along this line, he hinted that the participants
should take an inward look at what is generally usable
and meaningful in the world and not only for certain
communities in our country.
After Mr. Richard Lang's presentation, individual
contributions were
allowed. The various speakers, who represented a well
selected
cross-section of researchers and practitioners from
the Lagos-Ibadan-Ife
axis, all agreed that the conference being planned is
relevant and
imperative. However, they advised that the conference
should avoid the
pitfalls of previous efforts.
Mrs. Oluyemisi Kusa She made an initial submission
that Herbal Medicine
should be considered as the mainstream form of therapy
for the majority
while orthodox medicine which is out of reach for a
lot of people, should
be considered as the alternative. `Man', she said,
"should be seen as a
holistic being and any solution to his health problem
should take
cognisance of the fact that all parts of the body are
related in one way or
the other". Mrs. Kusa who packages local herbs for
sale, would like the
conference to address the issue of definition as it
relates to the broad
concept of Traditional Medicine. She suggested that
the following aspects
could include as part of the sessions; [a] Herbalism,
with emphasis on its
role in traditional medicine for the promotion of
healthy living; [b]
Homoeopathy; [c] Acupuncture; [d] Acupressure; [e]
Etho-medicine.
Dr. Olufemi Shode Medicinal/industrial chemist
runs a Herbal
cosmetics and Herbal cosmeseutical company. He said
that the philosophy of
his company is to prepare what can be useful to
Nigerians and the black
race by taking from the wisdom of the past and the
advantage of technology.
His main reserch concern is how to preserve both the
product and the
philosophy behind them. A good example of repackaging
is the traditional
black soap his company has in the market. During his
presentation a couple
of issues were raised.
a. Is there a possibility of systematic research
and development for
Traditional medicine and therapy.
b. What procedure outside of the capital
Intensive western mode is
possible and affordable for traditional medicine.
He concluded by suggesting that Understanding
medicinal plants should form
the core of the proposed conference.
Dr. E. O. Olapade A trained Botanist/genetist
who is interested in
phyto medicine and traditional medicine and knowledge.
In his clinic he
has preparations that have proved efficacious in
management of Diabetics
melliatus, paralysis due to Hypertension, etc. As a
trained Botanist he
pointed out the threat to medicinal plants in the
country. He would like
to focus on conservation/recultivation of threatened
species and a survey
of the threatened species. Cited a few examples of
countries where herbal
medicines have been given prominence side by side
orthodox medicine.
Germany he has said "has been active in the
development of phyto
phamaceuticals with proven efficacy, also Japan
captured 56% of the natural
patents in 1987 while in America, herbal medicines are
sold in the form of
Health foods". He said further that there is
therefore an urgent need for
a total re-appraisal of the system in Nigeria to
ensure that natural
endowment of plant genetic resources are gainfully
utilised.
He suggested the following for the forthcoming
conference;
a]. Documentation of indegenous knowledge on
certain medicines which
are widely used. (It is assumped that the findings of
the survey will form
a part of the conference).
b]. In line with the above an
ethnobotanical/ethnomedical survey as it
relates to (i). plants ingredients used, (ii). methods
of preparation of
herbal medicines in the different socio-linguistic
setting in Nigeria
(iii). how the medicines are used, i.e dosage forms
(iv). how they arrived
at the method of preservation [shelf life].
c]. Emphasis should be on useful medicines that
can be mass produced
and commercialised. (In this regard some common
ailments will be targetted
for discourse).
d]. Technical sessions [i]. identifying habitats
of useful plants
[ii]. identifying the status of plants in the
environment across the
country or selected ecozones, [iii]. packaging for
preservation and
marketing.
Notes: Dr. Olapade's contribution shows that the
country cannot be taken
as a monolithic whole in terms of Herbal formulations,
philosophy and
status of phytomedicine.
It is imperative that while choosing the speakers this
point must be borne
in mind. The diversity and varied possibilities
should be explored at the
conference.
Dr. Morounfolu Agbedahunsi - Pharmecologist linked
with the Ife University
group working on medicinal plants and their potentials
for production. The
collaborative research network on traditional medicine
draws from both
scientists and herbal practitioners. The focus of Dr.
Agbedahunsi is to
produce drugs from natural origins, these can be
useful in preventing
parasites in the body system. He however warned that
certain herbal
preparation may be toxic to the body if not properly
analysed, methods of
preparations are very essential in herbal formulations
and this should be
included as a sub-theme during the conference.
He suggested that the following areas should be
focused upon:
a]. Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology of plants
used in the prevention
or treatment of diseases.
b]. Botany and taxonomy of plants used in
management (of certain
common) diseases should be featured during the
technical session.
Co-ordinator's Note This should be taken to mean
newly classified plants
that have hitherto been neglected or overlooked in the
prevention or
management of common ailments or newly reported
ailments that allopathy has
no known remedies for yet. In this case stumble finds
and information for
a data bank may ensue. Consequently, Nigerian Society
of Pharmacognosy
should be contacted to make suggestions from their
journal of natural
products and medicine, which has been in circulation
since 1982.
c]. Traditional methodologies of management of
diseases.
Notes: Here again the diversity in the country will
come into play as a
way of general education for those who will attend the
conference at home
and abroad.
It may also be a step towards documentation of
traditional medicine
practice and not just herbal preparations as has been
the case in most
conferences. The system of diagnosis, treatment,
pharmacology and
training, ethics and patient/client evaluation will be
highlighted. These
various submissions can now be contrasted with
presentation[s] from experts
in Germany on what obtains in Alternative Medicine.
d]. (In a Technical Session), chemistry of the
biological agents,
e]. Standardization of traditional remedies,
toxicology and
pharmacology of natural products used in the treatment
of diseases should
be considered.
f]. Drug development of traditional recipes,
active principles of
natural origin used in treatment of [certain]
diseases.
Notes: These aspects can be considered during work
sessions where local
enterpreneurs, traditional healers, scientists, drug
control agencies and
the media could work out guidelines and also come up
with a comprehensive
data on what is on the ground. Invited foreign
experts can make useful
suggestions based on experience and research interest.
Dr. S. A. Osunwole of Institute of African Studies who
has worked in
collaboration with traditional healers documenting
their knowledge. This
has been done at various levels on tapes, pictures and
in texts. He
proposes an information bank on traditional medicine
and also a book on
First Aid in Traditional Medicine. A glossary of
Yoruba diseases is also
in preparation. In conclusion, Dr. Osunwole called
for the integration of
Traditional medicine into the curriculum and that
traditional medicine is
potent but the information on it is rare because most
practitioners are
getting old and many have in fact passed on without
enthrusting their
knowledge to interested persons. He then posited a
title for the
conference as "promotion of traditional medicine
through research and
documentation". He says as an outcome from the
conference the setting up
of a traditional medicine research and documentation
centre should be a
considered.
Dr. Theresa Adebola John a research fellow and
secretary WHO collaborating
centre for traditional medicine, college of medicine
of the University of
Lagos. She also agreed that this pre-conference
work-session is a useful
forum and went on to talk about the activities of the
WHO collaborating
centre. She said that the present policy of the
Federal Government of
Nigeria only permits the funding and support of
orthodox medicine but that
the centre is trying to verify claims by traditional
medicine healers who
bring such preparations or formulation to the centre.
Also the centre has
on-going projects on research documentation by
scientists. The need for
coordination and avoidance of duplication was
emphasised in her
contribution. Furthermore, she opines that the
various traditional
medicine preparations should be made marketable within
and beyond the
country. In conclusion she wanted the conference to
clarify what
traditional medicine practitioners think about the
concept of medicines
before we deliberate on dosages.
She then suggested that the conference should take a
critical look at
Traditional African Medicine as a vocation or as
religion, methods of
training and the cult connection.
The mentality, methods of practice and language should
be re-examined in
the light of current technology. Why is dosage not
considered by the
practitioners. Metaphysical conception of causes of
diseases and also
remedies should be considered, same for ethics and
norms.
Anthropological and sociological perspectives should
be looked into, how to
obtain information about plant sources
applications/usage, dosage,
documentation.
- rapport, confidence, divulging of information
- sifting/selection of information
- royalty to traditional practitioners
- training of traditional practitioners towards a more
acceptable role in
the society.
Professor A. F. B. Madeje of Department of Medicine
and Dialysis Centre,
Lagos, Univeristy Teaching Hospital. He is a trained
medical practitioner
of many years standing. In his submission he
coroborated some of Dr.
(Mrs.) John's presentations and went on to say that
the centre since
existence has received all sorts of claims from
traditional healers, some
of which he says are spurious. The attitude of the
centre is how to
influence these healers who treat symptoms or causes
and not the root of
the diseases. However, he will want to be sure that
western trained
doctors are in fact talking about the same disease
conditions the
traditional healers are also talking about. He said
in some cases the
traditional healers have only succeeded in surpressing
symptoms by granting
temporary relief. He warned that long term toxicity
accumulation must be
watched out for. In his case, he would rather call
for harmonization
instead of standardization.
In addition, he suggested topics and sub-themes for
the conference.
1. Training traditional medicine practitioners
about documentation of;
i. Patients conditions by taking adequate records
either by
photographs or with text before treatment and after
the completion of
therapy.
ii. The treatments should be faithfully recorded
successes and failures
inclusive.
2. Methods of Diagnosis
3. Role of psychotherapy should be examined
4. The issue of how to harmonize traditional
therapy with orthodox
medicine should be considered.
Notes from Co-ordinator: It can be deduced from
this suggestion that
Dr. A Mabadeje would rather like a practical
conference aimed at
practitioners in the field or a training workshop that
will draw from a
cross-section of scientists interested in traditional
medicine. In this
case any invited guest must be prepared to lecture on
current trends in
alternative medicine in Germany starting from the
history, attitudes of the
state and corporate world to alternative medicine and
end with what German
alternative practitioners are in search of in terms of
missing links or
gaps or even products that can cure certain ailments.
Professor David Okpako - a professor of pharmacology
who since 1977 has
been involved with traditional folklore and culture of
the Ijaw people. He
has to his credit a number of learned papers and
books. The most recent
being one published in conjunction with two other
British Authors by John
Wiley Publishing.
In his contribution, he explained the fundamental
difference between
Traditional African herbal healing and therapy and the
Western perspective
of medicaments. He said one is based on management of
ailment and not
diseases by ensuring that the body can heal or rid its
self of any germs or
pathogens. Whereas Western medicine is based on what
he calls selective
poisoning. By this he means drugs that are poisons
meant to destroy germs
or pathogens with minimal side effects. He further
stated that Traditional
healing practice consists of two closely inter-related
parts;
a}. appreciation of the cause[s] of illness beyond
physiology but
located within the mind, the soul and the
socio-cultural influences;
b}. use of plant remedies and animal parts where
necessary.
It is necessary to understand how the concept of
traditional medicine
evolved, and still evolving. He lamented the
unfortunate aspersion and
misconception of traditional medicine as primitive
because the practice
does not fit into the cast of biomedicine. The plant
remedies prepared by
the healers is NOT the same thing as modern drugs
which contain active
agents alone. It is wrong to subject the preparations
to pharmaceutical
principles because the formulations do not belong
there.
As to diagnosis he said it is difficult for any
medical practitioner to
tell from mere physical examination; some of these
diseases require the
assistance of advanced technology for correct
diagnosis. However, in
traditional medicine practice,the healers recognise
illness and they don't
treat diseases. There are two schools of thought
which must be
highlighted.
a]. Distal[?] causes - the thing that created the
diseases in the individual
b]. Proximal cause. He said distal cause[s] of an
illness cannot be
treated with poisons.
Dosages and Dosage forms: - In addressing the issue,
he differenciated
dosages from dosage forms and went on to state that in
some African
cultures there are no absolute units of measure.
In conclusion, he emphasised that there are points of
convergence in both
orthodox and traditional practices, in that they both
intend the health and
well being of the individuals. The system of
traditional medicine as a
whole should be taken seriously.
He then suggested that the philosophy of traditional
medicine should be the
core of the conference.
Mr. Friday Amos, is a microbiologist who is interested
in setting up a
centre for wholistic medicine. In his contribution to
the work-session he
said, a health delivery system that can be accessible
to majority of
Nigerians is what he advocates. In that wise natural
remedies which are in
harmony with the body and that are within the earning
capacity of the
populace is what should be promoted. He also agreed
with Professor Okpako
that there is a spiritual dimension to [most]
illnesses. He then went on
to elaborate on the approach to establishing wholistic
medicine centre.
The following departments are suggested:
{a}. Research and development, {b} preparations {c}
Analytical and quality
control {d} Packaging {e} Dosage and Treatment
(Administration), etc.
Therefore, Mr. Amos would want the proposed conference
to focus on the
modalities of setting up the wholistic medicine
centre. To achieve this he
will want traditional bone healers, traditional birth
attendants, general
practitioners of herbal medicines and psychosis and
neurosis traditional
experts invited.
Chief Dosu Ekunrin is a Traditional healer who
was trained by his
father a reputable traditional medicine practitioner
who was instrumental
in the formation of various association for
traditional healers. His
healing centre shares location with his brother who is
an orthodox medicine
practitioner. Chief Dosu Ekunrin writes a column in
one of the evening
papaers.
His main interest area is cure of veneral diseases and
infertility.
According to him, laboratory tests are carried out
before and after
treatment. However, this method is not the only one
he uses for diagnosis.
He submitted that:
1. It is a fact that there are a lot of herbs
whose resources are yet
untaped in Nigeria; with encouragement of both
orthodox and traditional
healers working together, a lot could be achieved on
both sides, collect
traditional medicines and test them.
2. It is very necessary to invite more gifted
traditional healers to
rub minds together to know what they have and what
they could gain in
updating their method - on dosage and preparations of
herbs.
3. The conference could concentrate more on ways
to educate
traditional healers on dosage of herbal medicine. How
do we get the right
dosage of herbal medicine, with the fact that, herbal
medicine is totally
different from orthodox.
4. To me a lot of so called scientific tests
destroy the real form of
herbal medicine, we should look for methods of how
traditional medicine,
could be packaged, the right dosage and preparations
and to look for a way
to test how effective herbal claims are without
destroying the efficacy of
a particular herbal medicine.
Co-ordinator's Note: Here again Chief Ekunrin agrees
with Professor
Madadeje that the conference could be focused along
the lines of education
and information sharing for both the orthodox
scientists and traditional
practitioners.
Professor (Mrs.) C. J. Igewllo is the Head,
Department of Pharmacology
College of Medicine, University of Lagos. She has
been involved with
research and co-ordination of traditional medicine at
the sub-regional
level for the last 10 years. From a personal
experience and observation at
other conferences she advised that emphasis should be
laid on Formulations
of the traditional practitioners and not on
Incantations, by this she means
the underlying belief system in traditional medicine
should be
de-emphasised if the conference is to achieve its set
objectives. However,
on another issue of researcher - traditional
practitioner collaboration,
she talked about adequate compensation for the owners
and custodians of the
indigenous knowledge. This then raised the question
of how to guard
intellectual property rights and patents. Should
ethics be a part of the
conference.
Dr. Oluwole Osonobi - head, Department of Botany,
University of Ibadan.
His interest in plant remedies as a plant
physiological ecologist was
stimulated during a visit to China in 1990. The
aftermath of the encounter
in a herbal shop in China encouraged him to take a
look at setting up
experimental herabal gardens and herbarium. He would
want the conference
to focus on modalities for setting up Botanical
gardens and to establish an
information network on herbariums in the country.
Also village level
germplasms on medicinal plants should be encouraged.
The outcome of the
conference must be disseminated widely.
In attendance as observers/participants were:
a. Mr. Akin Jimoh - a Science Reporter with
Guardian Newspapers
b. Ms. Adetoun Ilumoka - Executive Director,
Empowerment and Action
Research Centre, who is interested in the role of
Traditional Medicine in
Reproductive Health of Women.
c. Ms. Loretta Njoku - Programme Director,
Nigerian Institute of
Cultural Orientation (NICO).
d. Ms. Funke Ilumoka - EMPARC.
PRE-CONFERENCE WORK SESSION ON TRADITIONAL MEDICINE &
THERAPY
Consensus
The participants after extensive deliberations agreed
that there should be
four sessions spread over two days. As part of the
conference an
exhibition of traditional remedies should be included.
The structure of
the conference will be that of presenting papers at
plenaries and technical
work sessions where in-depth discussions could be done
with an intent of
developing guidelines or proposals for further
research or collaboration.
Also the conference will focus on two communicable
diseases and one
non-communicable disease. The idea here is to take as
many differing
positions as possible on the choosen diseases. In
this light, some
additional background papers will be encouraged but
not read at the
conference. These will form the basis of the
information data bank
suggested during the work-session. The writers would
have been notified
well in advance to submit such.
Session 1 Overview of the philosophy, patterns
and paradigms in
traditional African medicine and therapy.
Sub-themes: * On belief systems, perspectives of
Africans on what a
drug is *Briefs from WHO collaborating centre, Ife
research Network,
Nigeria's Task Force on Traditional Medicine, Dr.
Olapade's NARL, etc.
Session 2 Technical papers on Biological and
Chemical research of
medicinal plants - findings and prospects.
* Case study of Professor Elujoba's test of
traditional contraceptive rings
on laboratory animals.
Session 3 Ethnobotany and ethnomedicine:
- Change and contnuity in traditional medicine
- Conservation of medicinal plants in particular
threatened species.
- Taxonomy and ecology of medical plants
- Current trends in Naturalpathy - a German
perspective.
Session 4 Curative claims from Traditional
medicine practitioners and
collaborative ventures - marketing, packaging,
corporate business world,
scientists, etc.
KOLE ADE-ODUTOLA
Workshop Co-ordinator
=====
check here for pictures and later a bit of my creative energy.
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/kole2
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