Date Posted: 3/23/2012 11:06:54 AM
Posted By: strictlyurban Membership Level: Silver Total Points: 209
Modern Medicine Versus Traditional MedicineModern medicine is well established and it is easily available but despite this many people still opt for alternative remedies especially traditional medicine and self-healing. Also there is that notion about the potency of traditional medicine as contrasted to modern medicine. In examining this dynamics we encounter the preferences that guide individuals’ choices, that is, reasons to why despite living in modern times do people still opt for traditional medicine especially in Africa.Many communities in Africa still adhere strictly to cultural parameters of existence therefore they will tend to relegate modern medicine as a second option remedy to cultural and traditional medicine. In other words individuals tend to maintain cultural loyalty. Also many people are still ignorant of the benefits of modern medicine.The majority of cases of illness and sufferance are categorized within traditional and customary domain therefore many people will consider the traditional option first based on their traditional interpretation of the disease.It has more often than not been claimed that even though modern facilities are physically accessible to communities, traditional medicine still enjoys better psychological and social access.Traditional remedies are usually cheap and sometimes are based on barter; also the payment can be done in terms that are flexible to the patient. It is claimed that traditional medicine is free of side effects and the peril of modern medicine is found in reactive complications after the administration of drugs. This makes traditional medicine more attractive to many people.Those in the know are aware that modern medicine is sourced from traditional medicine; modern medicine took traditional medicine and modified it for easy access and administration, therefore it is only logical to stay close to the source by using the traditional medicine.Many people prefer the traditional remedy because it is easier to use and they enjoy prescriptive flexibility; they are not required to take the medicine at specifically set times as opposed to modern medicine which is rigid on dosage and time of administration with threats of failure if prescription is disrupted. Furthermore traditional medicine does not require pre-treatment procedure such clinical examinations that usually discourage people to access modern medicine. The failure of modern medicine. There are a variety of health complications that modern medicine has completely failed to handle but are well accounted for by traditional medicine, such as, epilepsy.
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