ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the Ghanaian situation and looks at the Zambian situation. It discusses the main trends and issues involved in professionalisation. Before the advent of colonial contact in Ghana, indigenous health practitioners were the sole practitioners of medicine in the country. With the advent of colonial rule a new medical system was instituted in the country. The colonial government encouraged the institutionalisation of the new system, modern medicine, by providing it with a legislative instrument. The campaign which was embarked upon by the nationalist government to promote cultural identity was reflected in post-independence national attitudes. The Zambian Ministry of Health examined indigenous medicine in order to identify its detrimental practices. The Zambian Government has encouraged the positive aspects of indigenous medicine by providing support to legitimate healers to institutionalise their forms of healing. The healers who co-operated with the centre were from the herbalists' group.
