27/07/15

Mauritian president discusses why traditional medicine matters

Copyright: Jon Spaull

By: Imogen Mathers

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<h1>Mauritian president discusses why traditional medicine matters</h1>
<h4>By: Imogen Mathers</h4>
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<p><iframe loading="lazy" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/216157950&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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<p>In a continent of 54 countries, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for development, but the value of science and<a href="https://www.scidev.net/enterprise/technology/"> technology</a> transcends national differences, says Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/governance/news/mauritius-president-diplomacy-ameenah-gurib-fakim.html">new president of Mauritius</a>, in this audio interview.<br />
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“We know that science and technology have been very important tools for improving livelihoods, creating wealth and, of course, changing the destiny of many countries,” she says. Mauritius is a country “at a crossroads” economically, and should now build on its strong literacy base to advance research and science-led development, she adds.<br />
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At the heart of this move to boost science should be an investigation into local and traditional knowledge, Gurib-Fakim says. Traditional healers and <a href="https://www.scidev.net/health/medicine/">medicines</a> have been overlooked for too long, and scientists and governments alike should now dig deeper into this rich repository of knowledge and ‘creole remedies’ to find and develop medicines, she explains. The kind of “translational research” that Gurib-Fakim has been doing as a chemist can help turn local knowledge into <a href="https://www.scidev.net/health/">health</a> products for use worldwide, generating new businesses and livelihood opportunities that connect the local with the global.  <div class="related_widget"><h3 class="widgettitle">You might also like</h3><ul><li><a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/news/mauritius-president-diplomacy-ameenah-gurib-fakim/">Mauritius’s new president vows to boost science</a></li><li><a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/features/traditional-medicine-modern-times-facts-figures/">Traditional medicine for modern times: Facts and figures</a></li><li><a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/features/indigenous-knowledge-policy-ipcc-un/">The struggle to get indigenous knowledge into policy</a></li></ul></div></p>

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<p>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.scidev.net" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/multimedia/mauritian-president-traditional-medicine-matters/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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If you are unable to listen to this audio, please update your browser or click here to download the file [6.2MB].

In a continent of 54 countries, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for development, but the value of science and technology transcends national differences, says Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the new president of Mauritius, in this audio interview.

“We know that science and technology have been very important tools for improving livelihoods, creating wealth and, of course, changing the destiny of many countries,” she says. Mauritius is a country “at a crossroads” economically, and should now build on its strong literacy base to advance research and science-led development, she adds.

At the heart of this move to boost science should be an investigation into local and traditional knowledge, Gurib-Fakim says. Traditional healers and medicines have been overlooked for too long, and scientists and governments alike should now dig deeper into this rich repository of knowledge and ‘creole remedies’ to find and develop medicines, she explains. The kind of “translational research” that Gurib-Fakim has been doing as a chemist can help turn local knowledge into health products for use worldwide, generating new businesses and livelihood opportunities that connect the local with the global.