Traditional and modern medicine: An integrated path to health and healing
Traditional medicine has been deeply rooted in African culture and identity for centuries, providing essential healthcare and wellbeing to communities across the continent.
August 26 – 31 2024 marks the annual African Traditional Medicine Week, a celebration of the diverse and vibrant traditions of African medicine, from herbal remedies to spiritual healing practices.
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need for collaboration between African Traditional Medicine (ATM) and Western medicine to improve healthcare outcomes for patients and explore the importance of ATM in its interaction with the health system around patient care. This is especially in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), which is one of the leading causes of death in Africa. Around 304 000 people in South Africa fell ill with TB and 56 000 died from the disease in 2021, according to the World Health Organization.
Speaking at the END TB Campaign workshop hosted by the National Department of Health in Gauteng, Professor Norbert Ndjeka, Chief Director for TB Control & Management at the National Department of Health, highlighted the importance of collaboration between traditional healers and modern medical practitioners. He emphasized that the health department should acknowledge the significant role traditional healers play in treating patients, many of whom seek help late from health facilities because they initially turn to traditional practitioners as their primary source of healthcare.
“We need to engage with traditional practitioners, work together to evaluate and adapt our Social Behavioural Change Communication strategies, and support community-based initiatives. Unfortunately, the health services in South Africa have not had meaningful conversations with traditional healers to address the challenges and find solutions together. It’s time for us to work collaboratively to move forward,” he said.
Mkhulu Ntsikelelo Colossa, a Traditional Healer from the Ikhwelo Healers Collective who started practicing at the age of 13 in the Free State, believes that collaboration between African traditional healers and modern medical researchers can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of health, wellness, and disease. “About 70% of South Africans rely on traditional medicine for their basic health needs,” he notes. “In some cases, traditional medicine is the only healthcare service available, accessible, and affordable to many people. This significant contribution of traditional medicine as a major provider of healthcare services in the country and the whole continent cannot be underestimated.”
He emphasizes that cross-cultural collaboration has the potential to develop innovative healthcare solutions that incorporate the best of both worlds, creating a healthcare system that is not only effective but also culturally relevant.
“Incorporating traditional health practitioners into the National TB Strategic Plan (NTP) has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of TB interventions by providing holistic care, reducing side effects, and increasing treatment adherence. But successful integration requires careful planning, regulation, and mutual respect between traditional and modern healthcare providers. By leveraging the strengths of both systems, it is possible to create a more inclusive and effective approach to TB control and treatment,” Colossa adds.
Combining African Traditional Medicine and modern medicine in clinical settings presents both challenges and opportunities. According to the Ikhwelo Healers Collective, communication barriers can arise from different philosophical and linguistic backgrounds, making it difficult for Traditional practitioners and health system professionals to understand each other. Cultural and philosophical differences also present challenges, as integrating Traditional Medicine’s holistic approach with modern medicine’s reductionist approach can be difficult to navigate. However, despite these challenges, healthcare providers have opportunities to learn from each other and develop innovations that blend the strengths of both African Traditional Medicine and modern medicine.