• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

MoH: Traditional healers are not ‘doctors’

Stephen Kalema by Stephen Kalema
6 years ago
in Health, News
12 0
ShareTweetSendShare

Once President Yoweri Museveni signs the Traditional and Complimentary Medicines Bill, 2019, no tradition healer will be allowed to use the title of ‘doctor’ again, the Ministry of Health has warned

The Bill was passed by Parliament on Tuesday, February 5, and now awaits the President’s signature and assent for it to become a law.

The Act, among others prohibits traditional healers from using the title ‘doctor’ and making enormous advertisements on both radio and televisions.

However, since its passing, traditional healers have been come out to attack the Ministry Health for trying to fight them yet they do offer services to many poor Ugandans who cannot afford the expensive medicine.

On Thursday, the Minister of State for Health – General Duties Sarah Opendi said traditional healers do not qualify for this title because they have never gone in any modern training school of medicine.

“A person who practices indigenous and complementary medicine shall not use or refer to himself or herself titles belonging to the practice of modern medicine for which they are not qualified such as a doctor, nurse or professor,” Opendi told journalists at the Uganda Media Centre.

Once the bill becomes a law, the minister added, a council will be formed and by statutory orders from the health minister, it will declare titles to be used by practitioners of indigenous and complementary medicine based on their qualifications and quality of service rendered.

This council will register all practitioners and also will set the qualifications for registration.

One of the requirements needed is relevant knowledge, training or skill recognized by the council to practice. The applications must be endorsed by the District Health Officer, the village local council executive. In the case of complementary medicine, the person should hold a valid qualification in the field of specialisation of complementary medicine.

“Once this Act is signed it will also prohibit the advertisement of herbal medicines without authorisation by the council. In case this is done without the council’s go ahead, this will result into revocation of the license and conviction of a fine not exceeding 1,000 currency points Shs20million) by both the media station and their client,” said Opendi.

On the issues of ministry intending to jeopardise their work, Opendi said over the years, a number of quacks have claimed to be traditional medicine researchers and yet make concoctions of both conventional and herbs for the unsuspecting clients.

“Some these concoctions fronted by these quacks have been found to contain substances that lack the capacity to cure any illness. We do intend to fight anyone this Act is intended to provide a regulatory framework for traditional herbalists, integrate traditional and complementary medicine in the healthcare system,” she added.

According to Uganda’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for Health Policy (2012), 25.716 million Ugandans use Traditional and Complimentary medicine (TCM) for primary healthcare because they are widely available and accessible than the conventional medicine, secondly the ratio of the traditional medicine practitioners to the population is 1:200 and 1:400 while that of the conventional practitioners is 1:20,000 or even less.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
Share40Tweet2SendShare

Related Posts

Business

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto
News

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54
News

New business lounge commissioned at Entebbe International Airport

4th July 2025 at 16:40
Next Post

Mukomye okukeeza abaana ku massomero n'okubasomesa ekiro, Minisita Senninde.

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1112 shares
    Share 445 Tweet 278
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    37 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 9
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2286 shares
    Share 914 Tweet 572
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    44 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • LIST : Gov’t releases Revised Salary Structure for Teachers, Police, and Prisons Staff for FY 2024/2025

    120 shares
    Share 48 Tweet 30
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Bwanika Joseph

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is set to speak at business forum in United Kingdom

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

CAN JOHN BOSCO MUWONGE CLAIM A SPOT AMONG AFRICA’S WEALTHIEST?

5th July 2025 at 18:09
Bwanika Joseph

BWANIKA JOSEPH: The Ballot and the Briefcase, Uganda’s Corporate Workers Must Vote for Fairness and Dignity

5th July 2025 at 10:36

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda