There is a conflict between doctors and herbalists in Uganda and the whole of east Africa. But when you look at it properly, it is a pointless preoccupation. Are both not equally engaged in the fight against diseases and human suffering? When an herbalist is afflicted by a disease best treated by a doctor, he runs to the doctor. Equally when a doctor is afflicted by a disease he feels can best be treated by an herbalist, he runs to the herbalist. The source of this pointless conflict is routed in our past. The colonialists, in order to rule over us, made it a point to undermine our culture. Our knowledge of medicine was one of the cultural arrears most affected by this ill will. In Teso region of Uganda, school children were taught in school a song that talks of one ‘Aducho’ (a female herbalist) being ‘Ibangana’ (stupid). When we gained independence, we did almost nothing to reverse this. Our doctors are not taught about African medicine in our medical schools. When you do not know so...
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