Regulatory Framework of Traditional and Alternative Medicine in the Gambia

Description

The Gambia, a country of over two million people with a deep history of traditional medicine in the African Continent still has no legislation to regulate the practice and promotion of traditional medicines. The striking thing is that it is the only country in the African Continent that had a former President, Yahya Jammeh, publicly declare his support for traditional medicines.Through, Yahya Jammeh’s government promoted traditional medicine, but could not advocate for legislation to regulate traditional and natural remedies in the Gambia. Hence, this book aims to investigate the constitutional and other statutory provisions on traditional medicines in the Gambia and their recognitions. In this book, I review several legal documents in the Gambia to evaluate their justifications for traditional medicine recognition and the need for legislation. I found that the Constitution of the Gambia recognizes the customs of the people as part of the laws. The Evidence Act 1994 of the Gambia further notes that custom is admissible in evidence. Hence, traditional medicine is part of the customs of the people of the Gambia.