Govinda Varma Raja (Retired)
Traditional medicine refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices of indigenous or local communities, handed over from generations to another generations. In the age of globalisation, traditional medicine faces several challenges. 1)Loss of knowledge: Traditional medicine relies heavily on oral traditions and passing knowledge down through generations. However, with the increasing pace of globalisation, many communities have been forced to abandon their traditional practices, leading to a loss of knowledge. 2) Standardisation: Traditional medicine lacks a standard framework for diagnosis and treatment. With the growing influence of Western medicine, there is a need to standardise traditional medicine practices to make them more accessible to the broader public. 3) Regulation: In many countries, traditional medicine is not regulated by the government, leading to concerns about quality control and safety. The lack of regulation also limits the acceptance of traditional medicine by mainstream medical practitioners. 4) Commercialization: Traditional medicine is often exploited for commercial purposes, leading to overharvesting of medicinal plants and the unethical production of counterfeit medicines. 5) Integration with modern medicine: Traditional medicine and modern medicine are often seen as separate entities, with little interaction between them. However, there is growing recognition that traditional medicine can play a complementary role in healthcare, particularly in the treatment of chronic diseases.
Part of 03-14 Conceptions of Health, Illness, and Medicine, Thursday, November 02, 2:30 pm–4:30 pm