Pacific doctor says traditional medicine has its place

Transcript

A Cook Islands doctor and former prime minister says traditional medicines have their place and work well alongside modern methods.

Joe Williams attended the Pasifika Medical Association conference in Port Vila where traditional medicine was on the agenda.

Dr Williams says the popularity of traditional medicine continues to thrive despite modern advances.

JOE WILLIAMS:  The Indian population have gone to ayurvedic medicine and other forms of Indian traditional medicine.  Chinese people have resorted to going to the Chinese herbal medicine and our own Pacific people have gone to seek the advice of their own traditional healers.  Like Vanuatu, people are going to see traditional healers now.  In the Cooks, they are doing the same and in other countries of the Pacific.  Some countries have even formed their own traditional healers association.  The Cooks have formed one and I understand Samoa has formed one also. It's because we are now beginning to recognise that there is a place for traditional healing in modern medicine.

HILAIRE BULE:  What is the challenge of traditional medicine in the Pacific?

JW:  We need to be more aware of any of the side effects of traditional medicine.  All drugs that we use in modern medicine are subjected to rigid controls to make sure they are safe.  It is a safety aspect of the drugs and the medicine we use that is always a concern to us.  The same type of concern, of control, should be put on traditional medicine for the safety of our people.

HB:  It is estimated that about 80% of the world's population are using traditional medicine.

JW:  Yes.  80% of the world's population are using one form or another of traditional medicine, whether it be the ayurvedic medicine, Chinese medicine, Pacific medicine.  Most are incorporated with modern medicine but a large proportion of the world's population are now using traditional medicine.  See, there are aspects of illnesses which we modern doctors do not appreciate.  For example, our people believe that some of the illnesses are caused by curse, by superstition, by evil spirits.  We don't accept that but traditional healers there is a place for disease causation and evil spirits and superstition and curse there.  This impacts on the mental health of people.  When a person believes that a disease is caused by a curse.  There is no way in the world, we in modern medicine, can overcome that.  It is only the traditional healers that can overcome that type of illness.  The illness is caused by a curse, by superstition and by evil spirits.  It's their perception.