As the saying goes, 'Health is wealth', a country that is blessed with millions of healthy people will be a paradise for its citizenry for eternity. Bearing this in mind, the whole world has given top priority to the provision of quality health care to the public at large.
Thanks to the concreted efforts of various governments and health institutions as well as the advancement of science and technology, a number of contagious and deadly diseases have been put under control and the life expectancy of human beings has been prolonged than ever before.
To sustain the aforesaid achievements and provide effective as well as quality and safe health services for all people living in Africa and the developing world, working hand in hand with traditional health practitioners is a key task at this particular time of period.
According to WHO, traditional health practitioners are important sources of health care for many Africans, with an estimated 80 percent of people seeking treatment from them. At this juncture, no body undermines the benefits of traditional medicine but, it is high time to have proper regulation for such health care particularly in the rural areas of Africa where the majority of the people are quite often seeking herbal or traditional medicine as it is the only affordable and available source of health care.
The same is also true for Ethiopia, there are a large number of people who receive traditional medical care frequently via consulting with traditional health practitioners. It is true that the government of Ethiopia has been taking various measures with a view to supporting traditional health practitioners and protecting the public against harmful practices. Fore instance, Ethiopia's traditional medicine and health care are part and parcel of the so far issued proclamations and guidelines related to the nationwide food, medicine and health care administration. Moreover, the country had envisaged to establish traditional medicine factory in the just concluded Growth and Transformation Plan I.
To enhance the roles of traditional medicine and health care in the country 's economy and health sector, a significant number of researches on traditional medicine have been conducted and awareness deepening campaigns have been carried out at all corners of the country in this regard.
Furthermore, Intellectual Property Registration for traditional health practitioners of the country has been put in to effect over the last one decade and every state has started registering traditional health practitioners issuing guidelines for the registration.
Apparently, the registration of traditional health practitioners would play a big role in bringing an end to the distribution of herbal and traditional medicine without the knowledge of pertinent bodies.
No one deny the fact that commendable progress has been made in the efforts to promote the safe and effective use of traditional medicine in Ethiopia, but, there should be a research institution dedicated to traditional medicine in this country in order to ensure safe and effective health products and services.
Moreover, the traditional health practitioners need to get regular capacity building training in a bid to integrate them with other professionals so as to effectively respond to the expressed health needs of the community.
In general, apart from limited evidence- based assessment of the safety, efficacy and quality of practices and products, there is a weak enforcement of regulations for Ethiopia's traditional medicine policies and the practitioners. Therefore, Ethiopia needs to adapt tools and guidelines of WHO that has developed to enhance the law enforcement power of a given nation in implementing the regulations of traditional medicine and protecting patients against potentially harmful practices in a timely manner.
Source: AllAfrica
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