Biomaterial Database

How not to compare Western scientific medicine with African traditional medicine. 2007

Godfrey B Tangwa

University of Yaounde, Cameroon. gbtangwa@iccnet.cm

In his commentary on Aceme Nyika's paper 'Ethical and Regulatory Issues Surrounding African Traditional Medicine in the Context of HIV/AIDS', Godfrey B. Tangwa charges the author with inappropriately using expressions, terminology and criteria of evaluation appropriate in Western scientific medicine to judge African traditional medicine (TM). He seriously frowns on Nyika's suggestion that African TM needs to be incorporated into, and subjected to the canons of Western scientific medicine. Such a suggestion, he believes, is a prescription for invasion, colonization and exploitation so characteristic of the relationship between Africa and the Western world. However, he thinks that African TM is quite compatible with Western scientific medicine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003906	Developing Countries	Countries in the process of change with economic growth, that is, an increase in production, per capita consumption, and income. The process of economic growth involves better utilization of natural and human resources, which results in a change in the social, political, and economic structures.	LMICs,Less-Developed Countries,Low Income Countries,Low and Middle Income Countries,Lower-Middle-Income Country,Middle Income Countries,Third-World Countries,Under-Developed Countries,Developing Nations,Least Developed Countries,Less-Developed Nations,Third-World Nations,Under-Developed Nations,Countries, Middle Income,Countries, Third-World,Country, Least Developed,Country, Less-Developed,Country, Low Income,Country, Lower-Middle-Income,Country, Middle Income,Country, Third-World,Country, Under-Developed,Developed Country, Least,Developing Country,Developing Nation,Least Developed Country,Less Developed Countries,Less Developed Nations,Less-Developed Country,Less-Developed Nation,Low Income Country,Lower Middle Income Country,Lower-Middle-Income Countries,Middle Income Country,Nation, Less-Developed,Nation, Third-World,Nation, Under-Developed,Third World Countries,Third World Nations,Third-World Country,Third-World Nation,Under Developed Countries,Under Developed Nations,Under-Developed Country,Under-Developed Nation
D004989	Ethics	The philosophy or code pertaining to what is ideal in human character and conduct. Also, the field of study dealing with the principles of morality.	Egoism,Ethical Issues,Metaethics,Moral Policy,Natural Law,Situational Ethics,Ethical Issue,Ethics, Situational,Issue, Ethical,Issues, Ethical,Law, Natural,Laws, Natural,Moral Policies,Natural Laws,Policies, Moral,Policy, Moral
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016488	Medicine, African Traditional	A system of traditional medicine which is based on the beliefs and practices of the African peoples. It includes treatment by MEDICINAL PLANTS and other MATERIA MEDICA as well as by the ministrations of diviners, MEDICINE MEN, witch doctors, and sorcerers.	African Medicine, Traditional,Traditional Medicine, African,African Medicine,African Traditional Medicine,Medicine, African,Medicine, Traditional African,Traditional African Medicine
D017954	Africa South of the Sahara	All of Africa except Northern Africa (AFRICA, NORTHERN) including ANGOLA; BENIN; BOTSWANA; BURKINA FASO; CABO VERDE; CAMEROON; CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC; CHAD; CONGO; COTE D'IVOIRE; DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; DJIBOUTI; EQUATORIAL GUINEA; ERITREA; ESWATINI; ETHIOPIA; GABON; GAMBIA; GHANA; GUINEA; GUINEA-BISSAU; KENYA; LESOTHO; LIBERIA; MALAWI; MALI; MAURITANIA; MOZAMBIQUE; NAMIBIA; NIGER; NIGERIA; RWANDA; SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE; SENEGAL; SIERRA LEONE; SOMALIA; SOUTH AFRICA; SOUTH SUDAN; SUDAN; TANZANIA; TOGO; UGANDA; ZAMBIA; and ZIMBABWE.	Africa, Sub-Saharan,Sub-Saharan Africa,Subsaharan Africa