Integrating Modern and Traditional Health Practices in Nigeria: Challenges and the Way Forward

Abstract

This paper provides valid reasons necessitating the integration of modern and traditional health practices and systems in Nigeria in view of the growing national and global demand for herbal products. Integration of modern and traditional health systems in Nigeria is important in order to harness the enormous benefits inherent in an integrated healthcare system such as: more health manpower, wider health coverage, better utilization of the vast biodiversity of the country and better health status of the people among others. Inherent challenges militating against this integration include; absence of standardization, secrecy associated with the practice, lack of respect and outright denial of the contributions of traditional medicine by western trained doctors and policy makers, informal methods of training the practitioners, lack of documentation, unhygienic manner of handling the products and inadequate government support. Despite these challenges, the way forward includes: official training of practitioners of traditional medicine, standardization of the practice, adequate government support, establishment of a legal framework and regulatory council, independent development of the practice among others.

Keywords: Integration, Modern medicine, Traditional Health Practices, Healthcare, Traditional Medicine.