Parliament says Zimbabwe should allocate funds for research into traditional medicines in 2022 budget

4.0    COMMITTEE FINDINGS

4.1    Institutional Arrangements for Traditional and Complementary Medicines: Legal Framework

4.1.1 During the oral evidence meeting held on 9th March 2021, Dr. Ndoro presented the following legal frameworks and institutional arrangements that govern the practice of traditional medical practitioners and those in the complementary medicines filed:

• Traditional Medical Practitioners Act [Chapter 27:14];
• Health Professions Act [Chapter 27:19]—Part IV—Natural Therapist Council;
• Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act [Chapter 15:03];
• Research Act of 1959 and Government Notice of 1974;
• Public Health Act;
• Research Council of Zimbabwe; and
• Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe that provides independent ethical oversight.

4.2    Traditional and Complementary Medicines Practice and Products

4.2.1 Traditional and Complementary Products and Services comprises of three (3) pillars namely: Service Providers, Practitioners’ Clinics and Manufacturers.

4.2.3 There are two arms of Practitioners:-Traditional Health Practitioners regulated by Medical Practitioners Council (TMPC)-informally trained through apprenticeship and National Therapist Council regulated by Health Professions Act (HPA)-formal training

4.2.4 The Traditional Medicines Act allows the Traditional Health Practitioners to prescribe medicines but when it comes to the general use in the absence of the traditional health practitioner, the herbal medicines are required to be registered and regulated by the MCAZ.

4.2.5 Complementary medicines are imported outside of Zimbabwe and must be fully registered through MCAZ.

4.2.6 TMPC is mainly in private setting and currently does not have hospital setting while Natural Therapist Council (NTC) is also mainly in private setting but has recently opened a clinic and has no hospital. Both practices do not have medical aid cover.

4.2.7 TMPC involves traditional healing, herbalism and faith healing while NTC involves acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine, chiropractic, herbal medicines, traditional Chinese medicines and so on.

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