Declaration of  Traditional Healers – Traditional Medicine & HIV/AID Conference

Dakar, Senegal 12 March 1999

 

Whereas:

·        For the last 20 years, there is renewed interest for traditional medicine worldwide

·        Modern medicine is still insufficiently equipped to fight newly emerging diseases like HIV/AIDS

·        Antiretroviral drugs are inaccessible to most people affected and infected by HIV in Africa

·        There is an emergency to protect traditional medical knowledge

 

Participants in the first International conference on traditional medicine and HIV/AIDS hereby recommend:

·        That all African and developing countries develop a legal framework for traditional medicine

·        That all traditional practitioners be empowered to take an active role as IEC (Information, Education and Communication) agents

·        That this process be integrated in such a way that:

o Healers collaborate with the modern medical sector

o Local structures be created to facilitate people’s access to care services

o Healers participate in biomedical research

·        That a regional office be created for the protection of traditional medical knowledge

·        That an international council of professional traditional medical organizations be created to coordinate and advise healer’s activities

·        That the PROMETRA NGO be the world coordinating body for all activities related to the promotion of traditional medicine

·        The sources of the traditional medical knowledge be identified and promote them

·        That the PROMETRA NGO be the intermediary for all activities related to fundraising and support of traditional medicine.

 

Approved 12 March 1999 at the Traditional Medicine & HIV/AIDS Conference in Dakar, Senegal.