Parliament: The Place of African Traditional Medicine reviewed at National Assembly

Parliament: The Place of African Traditional Medicine reviewed at National Assembly
African Traditional Practitioners and researchers have presented the results of the works to Members of the National Assembly. This was during a special session to valorise African medicine as the country faces health challenges.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Cavaye Yeguie Djibril who presided over the session highlighted the need to foster complimentarily between conventional and traditional medicine in a bid to make health care delivery for accessible and affordable to Cameroonians.
The session was also opportunities for experts in the domain to call for training of physiotherapists, and the financing of research works to give value to local medication.
Participants at the session also agreed to valorise Cameroon’s rich biodiversity.
Amongst the participants was the Metropolitan Archbishop of Douala, His Grace Samuel Kleda whose cure for the Covid19 is widely used in the country.
The cleric called for the introduction of phototherapy in the syllabus of institutions of higher learning.
On her part, the Director of the Reece International Research Consortium, Dr Peyou Ndi Marlyse said Cameroon imports about 85 – 90 percent of medication that is used locally. The huge imports make the population to spend more and become poorer.
She added that between 2015 and 2019, medicament imports were worth 372 billion CFA francs and if traditional medicine is improved, the rate of importation will be reduced.
The experts highlighted the need to rise above condescends and the marginalisation of African traditional medicine. They called for the modernisation and codification as well as the putting a place of legal instruments to regulate the sector.
Expectation of African Traditional Medicine practitioners
Doctor Colonel Woeriwoh Tembeng, Medicine practitioner who specialises in African traditional medicine says African Medicine is made up of five components, Spiritual, Tradi-spiritual, traditional, ancestral and natural with medication covering just a small part. He added that the majority of healing is not done with medications.
He proposed that a committee be put in place to study and see how it will develop African Medicine.
Another traditional Practitioner, Dr Gidiun Peliegho said that the biggest problem faced by traditional doctors is the absence of a law to regulate the practice of traditional medicine. He expressed the wish that a law on traditional medicine be elaborated.
The hope of most of the traditional practitioners is that African medicine be given a chance to blossom and have the deserved exposure so that Cameroonians can have the chance to choose their treatment options.
Situation of traditional medicine in Cameroon
Today, a good number of Cameroonians use traditional medicine especially herbs for the treatment of ailments like malaria, Typhoid, gastrointestinal diseases and some sexually transmitted Infections amongst others.
The certification process remains one of the biggest challenges for the sector that has been infested by charlatans.
Experts hold that regulation will guarantee efficiency, quality and safety in the traditional medication.
Elvis Teke

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