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
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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