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23 September 2008

Minister of Health Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang will address local and international researchers and academics from different universities and research centres (such as the Medical Research Council [MRC], the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research [CSIR] and the Agricultural Research Council [ARC]), on an urgent need to harness research for validation of African traditional medicine.

This research colloquium on African traditional medicine to be held at Birchwood Conference Centre on Thursday, 25 September 2008, comes at a time when the Department of Health has finalised and published a draft policy for public comment, to provide a framework for the institutionalisation of African traditional medicine in the South African healthcare system.

Policy makers and experts from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Namibia and Cameroon will also attend the two-day meeting. MRC’s Prof. T Mbewu will deliver a paper on a “View on Research perspective of African Traditional Medicine”, and the Medicines Control Council (MCC) Registrar Ms M Hela will do a presentation on a “Vision of the NDOH on National Institute on African Traditional Medicine”.

Members of the media are invited for the Minister’s opening address and media briefing as follows:

Time for the opening address: 9 am
Time for the media briefing: 10 am
Date: Thursday, 25 Sept 2008
Venue: Birchwood Conference Centre, Boksburg

Contact:
Charity Bhengu
Cell: 083 679 7424

Issued by: Department of Health
23 September 2008