NW healers push for traditional medicine hospital
International African Medicine Day is celebrated every year, on August 31st.
Traditional healers in North West province of South Africa are forging partnerships with scientific research and sustainability entities, aiming to establish a dedicated facility for their medicinal practices. During the commemoration of International African Traditional Medicine Week, numerous healers gathered at Ipelegeng Multipurpose Centre in Schweizer-Reneke, near Vryburg.
These practitioners are resolutely upholding their ancestral knowledge and the indispensable contribution of African Traditional Medicine to healthcare.
As the province prepares for the spring equinox and a new year in September, the North West Dingaka Association emphasizes the significance of this period in highlighting the role of traditional medicine in harmony with nature. The association's President, Gogo Anna Rabotapi, recalls her journey as a healer beginning in 1992, further honed by university studies on herbal remedies and their medicinal applications.
Herbal remedies, such as the 'Motswere' tree stem, indigenous to Botswana and Zimbabwe, are employed to treat stomach ulcers when combined with milk. Collaborations with scientific researchers have expanded these healers' horizons, with nearly 80% of South Africans seeking guidance from traditional doctors. In pharmacies, one can now find traditional medicines without chemical additives, reinforcing the importance of establishing a dedicated facility.
Noluyolo Zahela, from the North West Department of Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, echoes this sentiment, stating that government does not advocate reverting to past practices but rather identifies beneficial elements from the traditional methods that can be incorporated into modern healthcare. The ultimate goal is to foster a better understanding among the new generation about the value and applications of traditional medicines, acknowledging that modern medications are derived from indigenous plants through modification. International African Medicine Day is observed annually on August 31.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
