Role of natural medicine acknowledged

Role , Uíge – The secretary to the Presidency of the Republic for Social Affairs, Rosa Pacavira, said Monday in northern Uige province, that the natural medicine plays a crucial role in the treatment of certain diseases in the country. The official was speaking at the opening of the Regional Forum (covering the northern provinces of Uige, Zaire and Cabinda) on National Policy on Traditional Medicine and Complementary Practices. Rosa Pacavira said the head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos, is much concerned about the meetings that are intended to attach more strength, value and protection to therapists. She spoke of the need for a discussion at the meeting of a document that enables the therapists to work in a formal and legal way, with a view to their integration in the national health system. The official said that natural medicine constitutes a factor of transversal importance in the life of many, as it valorises the therapist and retrieves the traditions of the Angolan people. According to her, 27 percent of the country’s vegetal species are considered endemic, with their use ranging from food, timber, oil production and medicine. In his turn, the Health minister, José Van-Dunem, spoke of the need for a transversal intervention whereby all Government institutions work for the integration of all natural medicine practitioners. He added that the purpose of the meetings is to find out how many therapists exist, the main diseases treated, their capacity to treat them, existing plants and predominant practices. The Regional Forum on National Policy on Traditional Medicine and Complementary Practices in Uige is taking place from July 9-10 with the theme "The retrieval and valorisation of the traditional medicine at the service of health”, through lectures involving four working commissions. To this end, representatives of the central Government in the sectors of Health, Education, Social Communication, Territory Administration, Public Administration, Employment and Social Security, Agriculture, Culture, Justice and Higher Education, have travelled to Uige.