Principles and practice of alternative medicine in Nigeria

Abstract

Orthodox or allopathic medicine is founded on the germ theory of disease, and involves the science-based application of medicines and surgery to cure diseases or manage health conditions under the auspices of Western trained healthcare professionals, Traditional African Medicine (TAM) on the other hand generally involves indigenous herbalism and African spirituality preserved mainly by oral tradition, with local diviners, herbalists, and midwives as intermediaries. In other words, whereas allopathic medicine is much more specific, focused on the particular biological cause of the anomaly, TAM is intrinsically holistic, encompassing the whole being-the spirit, soul and body. The difference between the two healthcare systems cannot therefore be clearer.