Problems and Prospects of African Traditional Medicine in Nigeria
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Date
2014
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, University of Ilorin
Abstract
Traditional medicine is the oldest known method of healing the sick. Traditional medicine is being used all over the world for the treatment of all ailments. Inadequate accessibility to modern medicine coupled with high cost of drugs to treat diseases in Nigeria may have contributed to the widespread of use of traditional medicine. In spite of these contributions, however, traditional medicine has been marginalized and its value to communities underplayed. It is within this context that, this paper examines the problems and prospects of African Traditional Medicine in Nigeria. However, integration of traditional medicine to national health programs would invariably go against the situation at which successive governments in Nigeria have continued to neglect this indigenous health care issue in their health policy. After the analysis of the various challenges, the paper then recommends that, there is a need for urgent investment and support of traditional healers and traditional medicine—not only by government, but also by civil society and the private sector.
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Keywords
African traditional medicine, healthcare, health policy, traditional healers
Citation
Abdulbaqi, S. Z., Raji, A. & Olayinka, T. T. (2014): Problems and Prospects of African Traditional Medicine in Nigeria. Ilorin Journal of Business and Social Sciences16 (1); 181-194, Published by Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, University of Ilorin.