DEPARTMENTS
ADMINISTRATION
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DISEASE CONTROL
HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT AND MAINTANANCE
Department of Traditional Medicine
Vision
Traditional Medical Practice is institutionalised into the National Health Care Service and contributes to improving the quality of the Zimbabwe's health care system as well as economic and social development
Mission
The Department of Traditional Medicine was established to coordinate and facilitate activities by various stakeholders to promote the rational use of safe, efficacious and quality traditional medicines. The activities include regulation of the practice of traditional health practitioners, research and development, education and training, and capacity building to strengthen government expertise in development and management of traditional medicine.
Objectives
The Department of Traditional Medicine aims to achieve the following objectives:
• To develop and implement a national policy for the institutionalise of traditional medicine into the national health care service
• To promote evidence-based traditional medical practice through strengthening research on safety, efficacy and quality traditional medicines
• To promote and facilitate continuing education and training in traditional medicine
• To promote local production and conservation of medicinal plants through establishment of strategic partnerships with relevant stakeholders
• To promote and facilitate the protection of indigenous knowledge and intellectual property rights of traditional health practitioners
• To mobilise resources for the promotion of traditional medicine
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfar e aims to Improve access to and rational use of safe, efficacious and quality traditional medicines in Zimbabwe . This goal is in line with the global and regional commitments of the Government of Zimbabwe. The global commitments include the Millennium Development Goals, the World Health Assembly resolutions on Traditional Medicine (TM) and the SADC resolutions on traditional medicine. The traditional medicine promotion and development model of the ministry places emphasis on the Consumers, Traditional Health Practitioners (THP) and Conservation of medicinal plants to ensure that all are protected.
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare is guided by the following key principles or ethical issues:
- Respect for persons as individuals and for the community as a whole
- Promotion of beneficial effects of traditional health care and elimination of harmful ones
- Promotion of social justice through ensuring safe, culturally acceptable and cost-effective traditional health care
- Protection of intellectual property rights and indigenous knowledge as well as equitable benefits for individuals and communities
- Education and training of both allopathic (modern) and traditional health practitioners in traditional medicine
- Promotion of research and development
Contact Person
Professor Exnevia Gomo; Dipl. Res Method, MSc (Applied Immunology), PhD (Immunology), MSc Clin.Epidemiol (candidate) .
Director - Traditional Medicine
Ministry of Health and Child Welfare
P.O.Box CY1122
Causeway
Harare
Zimbabwe
Email: exgomo@yahoo.com
Telephone: +263 4 708019 or 730233 (office)
+263 11 878 012 (cell)