Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026)

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Integrating African Traditional Medicine Knowledge into South African Medical Curricula: A Policy Brief for Decolonised Education (2021–2026)

Lungisani van der Merwe, University of the Witwatersrand Thandiwe Nkosi, Department of Clinical Research, University of Venda
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18362517
Published: January 24, 2026

Abstract

This policy brief addresses the imperative to decolonise medical education in South Africa by integrating African Traditional Medicine (ATM) knowledge into core undergraduate medical curricula. It argues that the prevailing Western-centric pedagogical model inadequately prepares graduates for a pluralistic health landscape, where a substantial proportion of the population utilises traditional practices, potentially compromising collaborative care and patient safety. The analysis employs a critical policy review of existing curricular frameworks and synthesises findings from recent stakeholder consultations with traditional health practitioners, medical educators, and students. Key findings reveal a persistent epistemic gap and an absence of standardised, ethical frameworks for integration. The brief contends that structured inclusion, developed in authentic partnership with ATM custodians, is essential to cultivate culturally competent graduates who can facilitate safe, integrative patient pathways. This transformation is crucial for advancing health equity, affirming African knowledge systems, and improving health outcomes through a decolonised lens. The implications necessitate coordinated policy reform by the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Health Professions Council of South Africa to mandate curricular revisions, establish national guidelines, and fund accredited training programmes, thereby aligning medical education with South Africa’s sociocultural realities.

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How to Cite

Lungisani van der Merwe, Thandiwe Nkosi (2026). Integrating African Traditional Medicine Knowledge into South African Medical Curricula: A Policy Brief for Decolonised Education (2021–2026). African Journal of Public Health and Health Systems, Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026), 41-54. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18362517
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Keywords

medical education decolonisationAfrican Traditional Medicinecurriculum integrationSouth Africaepistemic justice

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