TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN THE FACE OF NEW ERA: A BETTER SAFEGUARD FOR THE PROGRESSION OF HEALTHCARE CLAIM IN IGBO-AFRICAN WORLD

Traditional medicine has been an age-long mode of treatment. It has been in existence even before the domination of orthodox medicine, particularly in Africa. Almost everybody was highly dependent on it for survival when it comes to health issue. But gradually, orthodox medicine became the order of the day, putting the traditional medicine by the side. Today, the reverse is becoming the case, as there are many health challenges facing orthodox medicine. Medical doctors are too few to attend to the massive population that needs them. Many orthodox medicines are too expensive and do not get to the reach of the common man. Diseases are becoming resistant to orthodox medicine. Some ailments that defy orthodox medicine, such as amputations/bone settings, poison, snake bite, etc., can be comfortably taken care of by the traditional medicine. However, this paper aims at bringing out its effectiveness and how to protect it from the new healthcare directives. It claims also that traditional medicine is not just an alternative mode of treatment to orthodox medicine, but that it is currently a better safeguard for the progression of healthcare system in Africa, since its usefulness has made some orthodox manufacturers to append the word “herbal” to their products, due to its potency and effectiveness. Scientists are turning to traditional medicine by studying its drugs and modifying them to look modern. Since traditional medicine can no longer be avoided, this paper concludes that sooner or later, traditional medicine will not only become a better safeguard for the progression of healthcare claim, but will remain the only saving grace that can save humanity from dying out.

Open Full Text (PDF)