More problematic however is that integration is, as in many development interventions, a top-down policy that is rarely based on contextual realities and conditions. In addition, there are significant paradigm differences that may present obstacles to integration of the two systems. The case studies however point to the loss of essential cultural elements central to traditional medicine in this particular area while users travel long distances to reach the healers. Its integration into the health care system would therefore promote cultural familiarity. It is often argued that people continue to use traditional medicine because it is affordable, available, and culturally familiar. While the cases are too few to represent the broad diversity of cultures and related healing systems in the Sub-Sahara African Region, the way they seem to refute the main assumptions in the integration discourse is important, also because studies from other countries in the region report perspectives, similar to the case studies in Kenya. This paper examines the state of traditional medicine using evidence from three case studies in Central Kenya. Indigenous or traditional medicine has, since the 1970s, been widely regarded as a resource likely to contribute to strengthening the health care systems in low income countries.
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