Herbalists in a digital aeon : neo-liberalism and the ethics of informal medicine in Uganda

Abstract

In the 21st century, Uganda’s social milieu is witnessing a paradigm shift, from formal to informal medicine. This has been occasioned by the upsurge of information technology, in terms of radios, televisions, mobile phone technology and the internet. Unlike formal medical practitioners who are under a stringent obligation to avoid advertising their medical services, informal medical practitioners, such as: traditional herbalists, are utilizing the power of the air waves to advertise their services. The immense advertisement by informal practitioners has created the impression that informal medicine is more efficient and curative than formal pharmacology. Surprisingly, some of these informal pharmacology techniques are more costly than the formal ones. The fundamental problem of informal medicine still lies in its persisting situatedness in mysticism, myth, and anachronism. This implies that it is deficient of painstaking pharmacological experimentation and diagnosis. In Uganda, the article argues, neo-liberal politics has taken precedence over painstaking and efficacious pharmacology; and this is evident in the fact that there are no sustainable codes of ethics to regulate herbal medicine in the country. This has debilitating implications on patients’ right to health and patients’ empowerment.