Despite the widespread use of conventional medicine, traditional medicine is still very much in use across the world across economic classes and communities of people. The enduring nature of traditional medicine is as a result of its efficacy and what many believe to be little side effects.

Traditional medicine is broad and widespread, some of the most widely used traditional medicine methods include those from Asia and Africa. The practice of traditional medicine is, therefore, diverse and entails different products, methods and practices. Across Africa, for instance, the practice of traditional medicine differs from community to community and from country to country and are heavily influenced by history, culture, social psychology and the underlying philosophy of a location.

There are unifying characteristics of traditional medicine, however, and that includes that traditional medicine addresses the needs of the whole person, both physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual.

This course brings clarity to the concept of traditional medicine, which is the system of medicine that communities used exclusively before the advent of conventional, western originated medicine. The course further explains the different concepts of Alternative and Complementary medicine. Lastly, the course makes a convincing case for why every individual should be interested in traditional medicine.