Chronic condition prevention and use of traditional medicine - an untapped potential

Health often begins to decline subtly before serious conditions become chronic. While blood tests may still show positive health markers, many patients on the verge of developing chronic conditions start to feel unwell. This discrepancy underscores a critical gap in early detection and prevention of chronic diseases.

Globally, the healthcare system faces significant challenges, including a shortage of medical personnel and inadequate focus on preventive medicine during medical training. Depending on the country, medical students receive only 20-40 hours of preventive medicine education over their 5-7 years of study. This insufficient training makes it difficult for healthcare professionals to recognize early warning signs of chronic conditions.

Moreover, preventive measures are not typically reimbursed by standard health insurance models. Coupled with a general lack of public education on effective prevention practices, this creates a challenging environment for reducing the incidence of chronic diseases.

One promising avenue for enhancing chronic disease prevention lies in leveraging the extensive knowledge base of traditional medicine. Both Western and Oriental traditional medicine are recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having significant potential for population education and chronic condition prevention. While there are challenges associated with the unregulated nature of the natural health practitioner profession, these practitioners could help alleviate the burden on conventional healthcare systems by supporting prevention efforts.

A major obstacle to widespread preventive care is financial. Since preventive services are rarely reimbursed, access to these services—whether through natural health practitioners or conventional medical systems—is often limited to those who can afford to pay out of pocket. This financial barrier disproportionately affects low-income communities, which are most impacted by chronic conditions.

Cerebris is committed to fostering a global dialogue among all stakeholders in the healthcare sector to shift public healthcare funding towards chronic disease prevention. By promoting this dialogue, we aim to create a more equitable and effective healthcare system that prioritizes prevention and addresses the root causes of chronic diseases.

#prevention #fightingchronicconditions #healthequity #naturalhealth #healtheconomics