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This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

'Stick to traditional medicine'

09/06/2006 18:47  - (SA)

Benoni - The traditional medicines sector will soon be recognised in the budget, said health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang on Friday.

Speaking at a traditional medicine workshop in Benoni, Tshabalala-Msimang said her department would speed up the process of establishing an interim traditional health council.

"There is a great deal of literature on traditional medicine in India, the Philippines and China. We need to establish this for African medicine," she said.

Tshabalala-Msimang said developing countries were appreciating the value of traditional medicines and alternative practices, pointing out that Britain's Prince Charles was a supporter of the concept.

On HIV/Aids, where Tshabalala-Msimang's standpoint is the centre of controversy, she said some antiretrovirals can cause cancer.

"We have got to keep all these (side effects) in our minds," she said.

Tshabalala-Msimang later told Sapa that some people had cancer from ARVs but did not elaborate further.

"Let's rather stick to traditional medicine," she said.

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