Traditional Medicine in Asia

Traditional Medicine in Asia
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medical substances other than
plants, of animal or mineral
origin.
The practice of traditional medicine is
defined as covering consultative, diagnostic,
and care procedures that make
exclusive use of traditional methods.
What is significant about the above
definitions is that they underline the
importance of community recognition and
understanding of the local situation.
Concepts of disease and treatment vary
from system to system and from society to
society; the expected role of traditional
practitioners is to provide treatment in
accordance with these concepts. The ability
to adapt these concepts in accordance with
scientific advances will considerably
enhance their potential; they are best
placed to gradually introduce into
otherwise conservative cultures modern
methods and modern drugs.
A historical perspective
Legislative provisions relating to the status
of health practitioners can be best
understood only by considering the
evolution of such provisions in each
country. The reason for this is that each
country has approached the issue in a way
that is unique and often dictated by
considerations that are not readily
comprehensible or logical. Historically, with
the increasingly strong presence of those
trained in Western medicine, there was a
movement to entrench their role and
position by providing for a virtual monopoly
status. Every society has had persons –
often without any formal education – with
the requisite knowledge and skills to treat
the sick and the disabled. They were
popular because of their easy accessibility,
use of language that was simple to
understand and the provision of treatment
at minimal or no cost. Success stories of
treating those who had found no relief after
taking Western medicaments and the belief
that someone who is closer to one’s own
environment and religion is better placed
to provide treatment were additional
factors. In other words, traditional medical
practitioners have always been a force to
be reckoned with. In drafting legislation
governing health practitioners, a
compromise had to be reached because it
was simply not politically or culturally
acceptable to overlook or dismiss the
important role played by traditional medical
practitioners. Legislative approaches
relating to the regulation of traditional
medical practitioners basically fall into four
categories: 10
� The exclusive (monopolistic) system;
� The tolerant system;
� The inclusive system;
� The integrated system.
Each of the above systems are briefly
described below:
The exclusive (monopolistic)
system
Under this system, Western medical
practitioners were the only ones to be
legally recognized, at least at one point of
time. Other practitioners were simply not
mentioned in the legislation or the
legislation clearly excluded them from
functioning as medical practitioners.
Examples are available from European
countries, the most notable being France,
and the Americas of legislation conferring
a monopolistic status on universityeducated
physicians and allied professionals
such as dentists, pharmacists and
nurses. Some laws made it a specific
offence to engage in medical acts contrary
to the law. In certain instances, even when
concessions were made, the provisions