Trado-modern medicine and growth in Nigeria: consequences of innovative processes’ adoption

Abstract

Traditional medicine is becoming increasingly popular across the world. However, its growth potentials have been understudied and poorly appreciated due to existing global political economy of health and many surrounding informal processes. This article therefore investigated the developments of traditional medicine in Nigeria as it appropriates conventional and modern innovative (unconventional) infrastructures to enhance effectiveness, acceptance and growth. Traditional medicine is very critical for growth given its widespread use in developing societies somewhat leading to its increasing capacity to contribute to growth and development in Africa against the backdrop of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence, better understanding of the trajectories of traditional medicine in a Megacity of Africa is important to enhance policy and practice for possible achievement of the SDGs in Africa. The end product of adoption of innovative modern processes in the preparation, packaging, marketing, distribution and utilization of traditional medicine were explored and described as Trado-modern Medicine in this article. The study was conducted in Nigeria. Primary and secondary data were collected. While secondary data were gathered through learned articles, newspaper clippings, official unclassified documents and so on, ethnographic and survey research approaches were adopted in primary data collection- through In-depth Interviews (IDIs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and questionnaires. Many findings were made, among them; Trado-modern medicine is, in some ways, contributing to development, health care, job creation, economic activities, growth and development in Nigeria and Africa. Valid conclusions were reached and sustainable recommendations given in the article.

Keywords: Trado-modern Medicine, Development, Growth, Lagos, Nigeria.