African traditional medicine and medicinal plants: Proceedings of the 6th inter-African symposium on African Traditional Medicine and Medical Plants 17-19 Mars 1996, Kampala, Uganda.

The 6th OAU/STRC Pan-African Symposium on African traditional medicine and medicinal plants was held in Kampala, Uganda from 17-19 May 1996. The main objective of the symposium was to exchange information among the various stakeholders. This was a pressing issue in view of developments have taken place since the last symposium was held in Yaounde in 1993. In order to consolidate our findings in the field as well as to continue providing the much-needed service to our communities, exchange of information and sharing of experiences is unavoidable. OAU/STRC takes the lead in organizing these symposia in order to achieve a common understanding. This is in deed one of the specific mandates of the Commission. One of the most pressing challenges of our times in the field of traditional medicine is to make it a safe, efficacious affordable and acceptable alternative system of health care. This will require dynamic interplay between various players all in a mutually acceptable manner and respect. Walls of secrecy will have. To be approached carefully and respect for and protection of intellectual capacity of the various knowledge holders will demand new working relationships. To promote understanding of a complex issue such as Intellectual Property Rights as it pertains to the protection of traditional knowledge is a new and difficult field, which this symposium to tackle. The symposium was held to bring together African scientists, experts in traditional medicine and indigenous knowledge systems, industrialists, policy makers, funding agencies and others involved in research and health care utilizing traditional medicine and medicinal plants. The symposium provided a forum, for the exchange of ideas among the participants on the current status of research on the use of traditional medicine and medicinal plants. It was hoped that the symposium would foster collaboration among researchers in academic institutions, policy makers, industrialists and investors, and traditional medical practitioners. It was quite gratifying that the objectives of the symposium were achieved with over 100 individuals, amongst whom were practicing traditional medical practitioners, from 20 African present papers made useful contributions during discussions. The symposium provided inspiration for greater commitment to research and to a more fruitful collaboration among scientists, policy makers and medical practitioners, both orthodox and traditional. This book contains the papers that were presented at the symposium.