Traditional health systems

Traditional health systems share an ecological approach which considers the health/illness relation as the result of the balance between nature, body and spirit, with an important affection dimension. Their practices arise from observation and empiricism mixed with superstition, so that they are based around medicinal plants, amulets, votives and protection rituals, which are still used particularly during delivery and mother-infant health.

Quinine and inoculation against smallpox are examples of this traditional knowledge incorporated into western medicine through two European women. The use of ethno-botanical remedies was widespread for all kinds of health problems in people and domestic animals. Its study in rural Spain has been the subject of much research and many publications.

In many low income countries these traditional practices are still the main health system accessible to citizens, because the presence of health professionals is very low (for example, in the African region there are 12.7 health professionals per 10,000 inhabitants as compared with 71.9 in Europe).

Countries whose constitutions declare them to be “Multicultural States” recognise, integrate and protect the traditional health systems of their indigenous peoples, allowing their practitioners to join the national health system after training in certain essential practices and knowledge. In this context, the role of traditional delivery is particularly important. Indigenous people keep up their traditional techniques which last in conjunction with modern health systems and their practitioners at different levels of harmony.