News and Events

IUIU Hosts a Public Seminar on Traditional and Indigenous Medicine

• 30th August, 2024 11:59pm

On 19^th August 2024, the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) hosted a public seminar on “Traditional and Indigenous Medicine: Capacity Building, Conservation and Knowledge Dissemination”. The half-day Seminar was jointly organised by the Faculties of Science and Health Sciences, as part of the Guest Lecture Series of IUIU’s Research Seminar Series programme, which is aimed at continuous Capacity Building through networking, collaboration and partnerships. The seminar was hosted physically at the Kampala Campus, with virtual participation for remote participants via the Zoom platform.

The Guest facilitators included Dr. Charles Masembe, an Associate Professor of Molecular Genetics and Evolution from Makerere University. Professor Charles presented on the topic, “Genetic Resources in Traditional and Indigenous Medicine: Capacity Building, Knowledge Dissemination, and Conservation”. The second Guest facilitator was Dr Grace Nambatya Kyeyune, the Executive Director at Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute (NCRI). Dr Grace presented on the topic, “Value Addition to Natural Products: The Ugandan Case”. The topical sessions were moderated by Dr Abdul Walusansa and Mr Ademola Sulyman, Lecturers from the Departments of Microbiology and Pharmacology, respectively.

The seminar generated debate and discussion, and one proposal that came out strongly was for medical schools through their regulatory bodies, to explore the possibility of incorporating a component of traditional and indigenous medicine as part of the academic training for healthcare trainees and practitioners. It was observed that such a revised curriculum could potentially result in more holistic clinicians and physicians, as far as the practice of medicine is concerned.  

In his remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Science underscored the need for Science Academia to make deliberate concerted efforts towards the preservation of the traditional and indigenous knowledge that mankind has relied on since time immemorial. “This seminar aims to underscore the need for the different academic disciplines, to work together towards the preservation of this valuable knowledge. This requires continuous capacity building, multidisciplinary collaboration, as well as multistakeholder engagement. The world of academia and specifically the scientific community, should not allow this valuable knowledge to vanish. Let us conduct research, disseminate the findings, and at the very least, document this valuable knowledge that has been passed on across generations, in its raw form”, said Dr Yahya Umar.

While making his closing remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, emphasized the need for both the useful and harmful traditional and indigenous practices and medicine, to be formally documented after undergoing the scientific research processes. “Since the beginning of time, we have been using plants, animals, and mineral resources, as sources of medicine and for other health remedies and benefits. Much of this valuable knowledge is vanishing. Both the useful and harmful should be documented for future generations”, emphasised, Dr Twaha Mutyaba.

Professor Muhammad-Sani Abdulai, the President of Lakeside University College Ghana, was prominent among the online participants. Also, in attendance was, Mr Alemu Okurut Shabana, Head of the Department of Biological Sciences; Haji Ddungu Ismail Lwanga, the IUIU-UMTA Coordinator; and several other members of staff and students from the Faculties of Health Sciences and Science.