THE WHO STRATEGY FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINE: REVIEW OF THE GLOBAL SITUATION AND STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION HEALTH AND HUMAN SECURITY
During the last two decades, because of issues on population ageing, changes in patterns of common diseases and for other reasons, the use of traditional medicine has dramatically increased worldwide.
A comprehensive term, traditional medicine (TM) refers both to traditional medicine systems, such as traditional Chinese medicine, Indian ayurveda medicine, Unani medicine, and to various forms of indigenous medicine.
In countries where the dominant health care system is based on modern Western medicine or where traditional medicine has not been incorporated into the national health care system, traditional medicine is often termed complementary, alternative or non-conventional medicine (CAM).
In Belgium, for example, 59% of patients utilize complementary/alternative medicine. Most providers of complementary/alternative treatments are allopathic doctors or physiotherapists. One allopathic physician out of four, mostly general practitioners, provides complementary/alternative treatments.
The most commonly practised forms of complementary/alternative medicine are homeopathy, practised by 59% of providers of complementary/alternative medicine.
During the past 20 years, interest in complementary/alternative medicine has increased. Seventy per cent of the public is in favour of complementary/alternative medicine, particularly osteopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and homeopathy becoming widely available in the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom.
One-eighth of the British population has tried complementary/alternative medicine, 90% of these people are ready to use it again. continue reading…..
Sue :: Sep.20.2007 :: herbalism, homeopathy :: No Comments »