TRADITIONAL MEDICINE VS MODERN MEDICINE.
For many years, people–old people especially–have argued that traditional medicine is much more efficient than modern medicine. A lot of them base their arguments on the “fact” that in the olden days when all that was available were herbs and drugs from traditional doctors, people lived longer. They also argue that younger people these days lack the energy and agility of people from older generations.
With the outbreak of the corona virus pandemic, a lot of people have come forward with arguments on the effectiveness of herbs and other concoctions in fighting the virus, based on evidence from certain "witnesses." The question of which is better has been a plague cast in the minds of many over the years and who knows, it might be debated till the end of time. How then do we clear up this confusing question?
Traditional medicine, according to the World Health Organization, refers to the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the maintenance of health and in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.[1]
It has been discovered that in Africa and Asia, 80% of the population still use traditional medicine instead of modern health care.[2] It is also commonplace in many houses that embrace the modern health system, to fall back on traditional medicine once in a while. Practices of traditional medicine include drinking of scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) for an upset stomach, drinking of boiled liver broth as blood supplement and even very dangerous practices like sticking the foot of a convulsing person in fire.
When traditional medicine was the only practice known, diseases like cancer, HIV/AIDS and medical conditions that led to miscarriages were tagged “strange” illnesses and attributed to sin or spiritual attacks. These illnesses had a lot of effect on culture and brought about names like “Ikukoyi" and the likes in Yoruba culture for example, based on the circumstances (or illnesses in this case) surrounding a person's birth. Although, herbs from traditional medicine are known to give very fast results, it is impossible to gauge the proper prescription and can lead to overdose or in this case, overuse of the herb. This can further complicate the illness. But is modern medicine much more preferable?
The advent of modern medicine has led to the discovery of many illnesses along with some solutions. Since 1970, the death rate from heart disease has dropped by nearly 60% and deaths from stroke are down by 70%. The death rate from cancer has dropped by 16% since 1990 and the death rate from HIV/AIDS has dropped by more than 75% from its highest point in 1995.[3] With strides made every day and new information uncovered, modern medicine has afforded people a life that they would not have had hundreds of years ago. Immunization and vaccination have helped to reduce and almost totally eradicate diseases such as measles, meningitis and polio. Pregnant women go through pre-natal care where they get supplements and vaccinations that ensure that both the mother and the baby are healthy and that delivery is safe and easy. With modern medicine came surgeries and rapid fire responses to different medical complications that have increased the patient’s chances of survival.
Traditional medicine has its effectiveness and importance; herbs and other “prescription” from its practice have proven to be fast and somewhat efficient. But, modern medicine fine tunes some of these traditional practices, shedding its excess baggage and provides the users in healthy, easy to use dose.
Temilola Edun
Member NIMELSSA EDITORIAL TEAM 19/20
References:
1. https://www.who.int/health-topics/traditional-complementary-and-integrative-medicine#tab=tab_1
2. https://www.scidev.net/global/indigenous/feature/integrating-modern-and-traditional-medicine-facts-and-figures.htm
3. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.policymed.com/amp/2011/08/modern-medicine-vs-alternative-medicine-different-levels-of-evidence.html
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