Blueprint for health security in traditional and complementary medicine for Nigeria in 2050

Abstract

Introduction: Traditional African medicine is gradually being mainstreamed into an acceptable medical system in Africa in general and Nigeria in particular. Globally, the general acclamation is that traditional medicine is viable, accessible, available, acceptable, and dependable. The discussion regarding the need to integrate traditional medicine with modern medicine for sustainable health and development in Nigeria is getting more intense. Thus, traditional medicine is becoming an essential item in the agenda of our collective search for health security in Nigeria. It is in this light, this study attempts to develop a blueprint for traditional and complementary medicine in Nigeria for the purpose of promoting a sustainable health security by the 2050.

Methods: Ethnography using phenomenological approach, Library and policy documents, papers and reports of World Health Organisation and other international agencies constituted the sources of data for the paper. Of particular interest were their various interventions on traditional medicine the basis on which several nations of the world have taken steps to locate traditional medicine as an integral aspect of their medical milieu. The ethnographic data and other documents were content analysed.

Results: This article attempts to explain the criticality of traditional and complementary medicine the agenda for health and security in Nigeria. Although many nations of the word have taken giant steps to situate traditional medicine in their medical episteme and national health agenda, the, it projects into the future situation as regards benefits that can be derived from harnessing complementary and alternative medicine. Given the deteriorating state of Nigerian medical system, there is the pressing need to adequately explore complementary and alternative medicine as blue print is developed for health security in Nigeria by the year 2050.

Conclusion: This paper made prescription as to the improvement that can be experienced if traditional and complementary medicine is properly placed in Nigerian medical agenda. Nigerian society stands to gain more by working towards the integration of traditional medicine into its health care delivery system. The need to provide enabling environment for the practice to thrive is therefore imperative.

Keywords: Development, blueprint, health security, traditional and complementary medicine.

Abstrait
Contexte: La médecine traditionnelle africaine est progressivement entrain d’être intégrée en un système médical acceptable en Afrique en général et au Nigéria en particulier. Globalement, l’acclamation générale est que la médecine traditionnelle est viable, accessible, disponible, acceptable et fiable. La discussion sur la nécessité d’intégrer la médecine traditionnelle à la médecine moderne pour une santé et un développement durables au Nigéria s’intensifie. Ainsi, la médecine traditionnelle devient un élément essentiel de l’agenda de notre recherche collective de
sécurité sanitaire au Nigéria. C’est dans cette optique que cette étude tente de mettre au point un modèle de médecine traditionnelle et complémentaire au Nigéria afin de promouvoir une sécurité
sanitaire durable à l’horizon 2050.

Méthodes: Une ethnographie utilisant une approche phénoménologique, des documents de bibliothèque et de politique générale, des documents et des rapports de l’Organisation mondiale de
la santé et d’autres agences internationales ont constitué les sources de données pour le document. Leurs diverses interventions sur la médecine traditionnelle ont été d’un intérêt particulier et ont servi de fondement à plusieurs pays du monde pour faire de la médecine traditionnelle un élément essentiel de leur milieu médical. Les données ethnographiques et autres documents ont été
analysées.

Résultats: Cet article tente d’expliquer l’importance de la médecine traditionnelle et complémentaire dans l’agenda pour la santé et la sécurité au Nigéria. Bien que de nombreux pays du monde aient pris des mesures colossales pour situer la médecine traditionnelle dans leur épistème médical et leur agenda national en matière de santé, il projette dans la situation future en ce qui concerne les avantages que l’on peut en tirer de l’exploitation de la médecine complémentaire et alternative. Compte tenu de la détérioration du système médical nigérian, il est urgent d’explorer de manière adéquate les médecines complémentaires et alternatives, un schéma directeur étant élaboré pour la sécurité sanitaire au Nigéria d’ici à 2050.

Conclusion: Ce document énonce les améliorations à apporter si la médecine traditionnelle et complémentaire est correctement placée dans l’agenda médical nigérian. La société nigériane a encore plus à gagner en œuvrant à l’intégration de la médecine traditionnelle dans son système de prestation de soins de santé. La nécessité de créer un environnement propice au développement de la pratique est donc impérative.

Mots clés: Développement, schéma directeur, sécurité sanitaire, médecine traditionnelle et complémentaire.

Correspondence: Dr. Jegede Obafemi, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail: ogbeate@yahoo.com

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