Traditional and complementary medicine : health care delivery

Abstract

South Africa is one of the few nations that have made significant progress to integrate traditional and complementary medicine into the legislative framework for health practitioners. Traditional medicine, represented by approximately 190 000 traditional health practitioners, has sustained the health of millions of South Africans over centuries. There are currently about 3 600 registered Allied Health Care Professionals in South Africa. In recent years there has been an influx of a number of herbal and other health products onto the South African market. Without an appropriate registration system many of these products are currently sold without control. It is estimated that there are approximately 25 000 complementary medicines, including traditional medicines, that have been submitted to the Medicines Control Council to facilitate the implementation of the Accelerated Registration Programme. There is evidence of cooperation between traditional healers and practitioners of allopathic medicine and this trend is expected to grow.