Digital roots: harnessing digital platforms in advancing traditional and complementary medicine for cancer care in Sub-Saharan Africa

The rise in cancer rates in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), combined with limited access to Western pharmaceuticals, has sparked growing adoption of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) for cancer treatment in the region. However, many challenges exist, including the lack of reliable evidence...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecancermedicalscience 2024, Vol.18, p.ed132-ed132
Main Authors: Nguyen, Dang, Jain, Nityanand, Gupta, Akul, Sabet, Cameron, Bajaj, Simar S, Patel, Saloni, Rutledge-Jukes, Heath, Diaz, Michael J, Le, Bao-Tran Do, Hamati, Olivia A, Mustafa, Muhammad, Krstovski, Jr, Saso, Ngoma, Twalib, Ngwa, Wilfred
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cancer therapies
Conflicts of interest
Cost control
Developing countries
Health care access
Herbal medicine
Herbs
LDCs
Literacy
Medical screening
Medicine
Oncology
Patients
Physicians
Prostate cancer
Telemedicine
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Summary:The rise in cancer rates in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), combined with limited access to Western pharmaceuticals, has sparked growing adoption of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) for cancer treatment in the region. However, many challenges exist, including the lack of reliable evidence-based research on these products, scarcity of standardized documentation as part of cancer registries, limited physician expertise, and negative effects on mortality. Nonetheless, herbal medicines also present opportunities for further research, development, and stakeholder education, potentially benefiting the regional healthcare systems in SSA countries and global health as whole. Recent trends highlight the willingness of patients to use mobile-based applications that provide accurate information on herbal therapeutics, reflecting the increasing adoption of internet and smart/mobile phone services in SSA. To maximize the potential benefits of traditional and complementary medicine, it is necessary to bridge the trust gap between the public, local practitioners, and Western healthcare providers. Sustained funding and policy support are needed to complement these initiatives. Our preliminary survey hopes to inspire the community and policymakers to embrace innovative solutions, fostering a forward-looking approach to cancer care in SSA.
ISSN:1754-6605
1754-6605
DOI:10.3332/ecancer.2024.ed132