Traditional Medicine Day, Limpopo
6 September 2007
Programme Director,
My colleague, MEC for Health
Executive Mayor of Sekhukhune district municipality and other councillors
present here today,
Kgoshi Boleu II Rammupudu and other Makgoshi here with us,
Traditional health practitioners,
Ladies and gentlemen
It is indeed an honour and a privilege for me to be here today to observe
with you the African Traditional Medicine Day. For us as the Department of
Health and as government in general, a day such as this is of major
significance.
This day allows us as a people to stand tall in asserting our history and
heritage as part of asserting who we are and where we come from. The effect of
colonialism in banishing this heritage is well documented. Our people who
practiced in this field of medicine were labelled as wizards, the practice
itself was described as uncivilised and barbaric.
Today we are saying this deliberate effort to undermine traditional medicine
should stop. I say it must stop because, honestly speaking, this colonial
attitude towards traditional medicine still continues today. It is being
championed by some groups in this country who are demanding that government
should ban the use of traditional medicine in the country and arrest
traditional health practitioners.
Our response to these demands is clear â traditional medicine has sustained
the health of our people for hundreds of years and this government will ensure
that it is developed and awarded the recognition it deserves.
African Traditional Medicine Day gives hope to the millions of our people,
not only in this country, but the continent of Africa as a whole. It
demonstrates that indeed, efforts are being made to create space for research,
development and recognition of the role of traditional medicine in healthcare
delivery on our continent.
We cannot go on pretending that African traditional medicine does not exist
when in fact 80% of people throughout the continent use these medicines in
dealing with diseases and other health challenges that they are faced with on a
day-to-day basis.
As the Department of Health, we are on the forefront in terms of
facilitating the process that will ultimately ensure that African traditional
medicine is institutionalised in our country.
Programme Director, ladies and gentlemen. The acknowledgement of the
significance of traditional medicine as a whole, including African traditional
medicine, was displayed as far back as 1978 at the historic international
Conference of Primary Healthcare at Alma Alta. It was at this stage that a
recommendation was made that governments give high priority to the
incorporation of traditional health practitioners and proven traditional
remedies into the national drug policies and regulations.
As most of you would know, not much was done in South Africa in as far as
the implementation of this recommendation was concerned given the racist
attitude of the apartheid government towards African traditional medicine and
African traditional knowledge system in general.
With the dawn of democracy in 1994 and the re-admission of South Africa into
the international community, it became crucial for us to kick-start processes
that were going to give effect to the 1978 Alma Ata recommendation. I am glad
therefore to announce that indeed some amount of work has been done in this
regard but there is still more that needs to be done.
Programme Director, ladies and gentlemen. Allow me to highlight just a few
of the initiatives that have either been completed or are currently underway.
These initiatives include:
* the establishment of the Presidential Task Team which is working on the broad
policy framework on African traditional medicine for our country
* the Ministerial Task Team which is working together with the Medicine
Regulatory Authority to facilitate the registration and regulation of African
traditional medicines
* the prioritisation of registration and regulatory framework for African
traditional medicine
* making funds available for the research and development of African
traditional medicines to manage and control diseases, and
* the establishment of a fully staffed unit that manages the work related to
traditional medicine within the Department of Health.
The finalisation of the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill, which has
just undergone a rigorous public scrutiny and participation throughout the
country, is probably the biggest milestone we expect to reach soon in this
area. Once adopted and signed into law, this piece of legislation will lead to
the establishment of the Traditional Health Practitioners Council, a body that
will oversee the process of the institutionalisation and the holistic inclusion
of African traditional medicine in the National Health System.
We are also considering establishing an Institute for African Traditional
Medicine whose main objectives will include:
* promoting scientific validation and production of high quality safe African
traditional medicines
* education and training within the African traditional medicine context
* conservation of medicinal plants and
* the equitable benefit sharing with owners of indigenous knowledge thereby
contributing to the healthcare service delivery system and poverty
alleviation.
Programme Director, earlier this year South Africa hosted the Third Ordinary
Session of the Conference of African Union Ministers of Health in Johannesburg.
One of the key objectives of this conference was the adoption of the African
health strategy and once more, the issue of African traditional medicine took
centre stage.
As Ministers of Health in the continent, we were required to take stock and
report back on progress made in as far as the Plan of Action on the African
Union Decade of Traditional Medicine (2001-2010) was concerned. Member states
acknowledged the importance of mainstreaming African traditional
medicine.
Arising from these discussions, we are forging ahead with the process of
according African traditional medicine the dignity that it deserves in line
with the 1978 Alma Ata and other subsequent declarations. Failure to do so will
not only be a betrayal of the millions of our people who use African
traditional medicine, but also the betrayal of our ancestors who saw and
derived value from this form of medicine.
As we mark the African Traditional Medicine Day today, let us recommit
ourselves to the preservation of this heritage that our ancestors bequeathed us
and lay a solid foundation for future generations to continue with this
heritage.
In conclusion, Programme Director, ladies and gentlemen, allow me thank the
Limpopo Provincial Health Department for organising this very important day for
us including the tour to Dr Tsiane medicinal plant garden.
The tour was quite an eye-opener for all of us, and out of it one can only
look forward with a great deal of confidence in as far African Traditional
Medicine is concerned. To the traditional health practitioners present here
today, once more thank you for your confidence in our leadership and we are not
going to fail your expectations and those of the millions of people who are
dependent on you for health and indeed life.
To our ancestors and leaders,
Sekhukhune, Makhado, Hintsa,
Ngungunyane, Shaka Ka Senzangakhona and Moshoeshoe, we shall not fail you!
Thank you very much.
Issued by: Department of Health
6 September 2007
