Traditional African Medicine

Herbal remedies were traditionally used for minor ailments and many people still use them or their purified modern versions like St. John's Wort or Echinacea.  Herbal remedies can interfere with other medications so patients at the IDI clinic are asked if they use herbs to make sure their medication dose can be adjusted accordingly.

Traditionally serious illnesses would be referred to a medicine man, who would offer charms since many serious illnesses were thought to be caused by evil spirits.  Medicine men also performed surgery.  Today Uganda's modern hospitals have taken on that role.