Publication: Traditional Medicine in Tanga Today : The Ancient and Modern Worlds Meet
Date
2002-12
ISSN
Published
2002-12
Author(s)
Scheinman, David
Abstract
This report deals with primary health
care providers in Africa. Today healers in Africa still play
crucial roles they carry the burden of care for treating
people with HIV/AIDS. Plants have been used as primary
sources of medicine for thousands of years. This report
indicates that plants have medicinal qualities due to the
substances they produce to protect themselves from insect
pests and pathogens. Many medicines are extracted from the
roots, root bark, and bark of plants that provide a line of
defense against an invader. In Tanzania, many more people
receive health care from healers than from conventional
health workers. In rural areas, medicine is much less
available that in towns. Healers in Tanga are mostly
herbalists, diviners, mediums, surgeons, midwives, and
traditional psychiatrists. Healers are accessible,
affordable, and usually have credibility. Tanga has received
international recognition for its innovative work with
traditional healers, and has received support from Oxfam,
the World Bank, and USAID.
Citation
“Scheinman, David. 2002. Traditional Medicine in Tanga Today : The Ancient and Modern Worlds Meet. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) Notes; No. 51. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/dc206ba2-7b83-5084-b9cb-ebe7c01e2637 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”