Kenya is facing a problem of regulation and lack of clear policies when it comes to use and utilization of traditional medicine-Integrated medicine society of Kenya (IMSK) has said.
According to IMSK Lack of regulations on quality, standards and evaluation of safety and efficacy of traditional medicine has resulted in marketing unsafe or ineffective products with many consumers self-medicating without health practioners knowledge and advice.
The IMSK society opines that government should encourage medical herbalists to work collaboratively with trained pharmacists and other doctors to help them know how to compound and they should all be vetted and licensed to practice.
According to Integrated medicine society of Kenya (IMSK) Chairman Billy Njuguna, development and utilization of integrated medicine remain low on account of many challenges it faces.
“Integrated medicine faces problems related to regulation, low appreciation and acceptance and plummeting plant resources as some of the impediments to its development.”
He explains that Integrated medicine is a different kind of healing system which in Africa include herbal medicine but elsewhere in the world as Acupuncture, Ayurveda, Chiropractic, Homeopathy, Massage and other body therapy techniques, Osteopathy, Psychotherapy.
“Integrated medicine has for a long time proven to be evidence based with many having been practiced for decades around the world and now introduced in Kenya as a form of medicine which uses natural substances, manipulation techniques and nutritional/supplements and advice to support health,” Billy explained to health journalists in Nairobi.
He added that, integrated medicine can be effective in managing a broad spectrum of healthcare needs, including prevention, management and treatment of non-communicable diseases, as well as mental health problems.
Njuguna explained that because intergraded medicine is an accumulation of knowledge and practices dating back eons before the arrival of Western medicine, passed down through generations, it is constantly evolving with unique cutting edge protocols, holistic health education ,ground breaking digital technology including quantum physics, AI and latest health devices like photodynamic therapy, nano medicine technology, red light therapy which can offer precise, targeted ,and less invasive treatments options.
Kenya will host 1st East Africa Congress on integrative medicine and health 2024 on 26th to 28th June to train doctors, scientists and researchers on integrative medicine and share best practices.
The congress will also be used to launch IMSK, an open scientific and learning session, that will also usher in a continuous 6-week Integrative Therapy Program (ITP) course.
He said that the conference will serve as a way to help to create awareness on integrative medicine offer diverse learning opportunity that will broaden understanding on functions and advantages of integrative medicine and help the professionals advise government to come up with the best ways to regulate traditional and alternative medicine in Kenya. The congress aims to improve knowledge about medicine through collaboration with biomedicine practioners.
The conference will host renowned speakers such as Dr Shakisha Gallow, a medicinal cannabis clinician, Dr Salaheldin Halasa specialist in photodynamic cancer therapies and photoactivated stem cell therapies and nanotechnologies in regenerative therapies and Dr Benoit Tano a trail blazer in Estrogens obesity, allergy/auto immune and anxiety and depression.
Currently, Integrated medicine society of Kenya (IMSK)have trained 28 medical doctors in integrated medicine, he said.
He adds that with our healthcare system is struggling to cope with demand of healthcare services, high costs and adverse effects of conventional therapy as well as drug resistance, it is now time to seriously consider incorporating alternative medicine in our treatment regime.
“By integrating traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare, a larger proportion of the Kenyan population will be able achieve access to adequate health services.”
He says that we have laws in place such as Health Act of 2017, which proposes establishing a regulatory board to recognize the role of Traditional and Alternative Medicines in Kenya with the law recognizing the needs of the Kenyan people requires a recognition of an integrated approach to healthcare.
Although the law directs the Ministry of Health to develop guidelines for cross-referral of patients between conventional and traditional healthcare practitioners and mandates Parliament to set up a regulatory body to manage the practice of traditional and alternative medicine, there has been little progress on actualizing that law.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), or simply known as Alternative Medicines can also be defined as traditional medicines, belonging to a particular culture or country.
According to the World Health Organization, traditional medicine refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices which are based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures and used in the maintenance of health and the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental health.
Kenyan herbal medicine practice has largely remained uncontrolled and unregulated despite the fact that a large proportion of the Kenyan population could be relying on the same.
Additionally, there is lack of integration of CAM therapies into Kenyan mainstream health care systems. This is despite the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation to “integrate traditional and CAM therapies into national health care systems”
He says that there are well-researched and clinically proven traditional medicines for example, Kenya Medical Research Institute’s (KEMRI) Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drugs Research (CTMDR) has been studying traditional medicines since 1984. While at the university have a department of Pharmacognosy.
However, Njuguna says that there are restrictive policies that inhibits practice such as criminalization of use of medicinal marijuana. He said medical cannabis can save the country millions of shillings shipped out of the country for medical tourism by patients seeking treatment they can easily and cheaply find in Kenya.
