Press Release on Traditional Medicine
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The World Health Organization estimates that traditional systems
of medicine serve the health needs of about 80 per cent of the
world's population and the goal of health for all can never be
achieved without traditional medicines.
Practices of traditional medicine (TM) vary greatly from country
to country and region to region, as they are influenced by fac-
tors such as culture, history, climatic conditions, personal at-
titudes, ideology and philosophy. However, there has been re-
newed and wider interest in TM not only in the developing coun-
tries but also in the developed countries (especially herbal
medicine) for many obvious and hidden reasons.
For millions of poor patients in the vast rural areas of the de-
veloping and under developed countries, the use of TM is the
only affordable and accessible source of primary health care.
Studies reveal that there are more TM providers than the allo-
pathic providers especially in the rural areas. The increased
use of TM in the developed countries is mainly due to the ad-
verse effects of chemical drugs, questioning of the approaches
and assumptions of allopathic medicine, greater public access to
information on traditional medicine.
Long historical use of many practices of TM including experience
passed from generation to generation, has demonstrated the
safety and efficacy of the above. Despite its existence and con-
tinuous use over many centuries and its popularity especially
during the last decade, TM has not been effectively recognized
by the Ministries of Health in most countries. Consequently,
education, training and research in this area have not been ac-
corded due attention and support.
The World Health Organization (WHO) launched its "Traditional
Medicine strategy for 2002 - 2005" to enable TM to play a far
greater role in reducing excess mortality and morbidity, espe-
cially among impoverished communities incorporating four objec-
tives; policy, safety, efficacy, quality, access and rational
use.
The paper also emphasizes that intellectual property rights' is-
sues should be taken into consideration as many developing coun-
tries have a wealth of indigenous TM knowledge and/or natural
and generic resources used in TM practices. If not, it will pave
way to losing their indigenous knowledge, ownership and right to
use TM to "bio piracy" within the worldwide trend and the com-
plex legal arrangements of IPR, which are not well known to the
owners of community knowledge and generic resources.
In conclusion, the paper presents some guidelines to policy &
action to promote and encourage TM. Following are some of these
guidelines:
Ø National governments should encourage discussions among tradi-
tional healers, health professionals and the general public to
formulate and develop public policies including regulations,
which address the utilization of traditional medicines in pri-
mary health care.
Ø International organizations, governments, NGOs, manufacturers
and traditional healers are to develop ethical criteria for the
promotion of traditional medicines and herbal remedies.
Ø Academic and research institutes, traditional healers, NGOs
and community organizations should be supported by national gov-
ernments to raise public awareness of the benefits and risks of
traditional medicines and herbal remedies.
Ø Academic and research institutes and traditional healers
should consider the development of national pharmacopoeial mono-
graphs on selected medicinal plants.
Ø International organizations, national governments, traditional
healers, manufacturers and traders should develop international
norms and agreements to monitor, regulate and control interna-
tional trade in medicinal plants.
Ø International agreements provide the mandate for national gov-
ernments to enact appropriate policies and regulations for con-
servation, cultivation, processing and marketing of medicinal
plants and to monitor the implementation of international agree-
ments.
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Health Action International Asia Pacific (HAI AP), the Asian arm
of the International Non Governmental Organization, Health Ac-
tion International is a network of organizations and individuals
involved in health and pharmaceutical issues. HAI AP plays a key
role in upholding health as a fundamental human right by orga-
nizing, co-partnering and participating actively in public fora
at national, regional and international level. HA IAP campaigns
and lobbies for rational drug use and access to essential medi-
cines.
For further information contact:
The Information & Communications Officer
Health Action International Asia Pacific
No 5, Frankfurt Place
Colombo 4, Sri Lanka
Tel: +94-11-255-4353, Fax: +94-11-255-4570
mailto:passanna@haiap.org