This study set out to investigate the challenges faced by African Traditional Medical Practices and the impact on its sustainability and the development of adolescent cognitive skills through the transfer of knowledge in Oku Sub Division, North West Region of Cameroon. This study employed the ethnographic research design. This qualitative study was done through interviews and observation. The data collected was analysed through thematic analysis. Participants were sampled purposively and the snow ball technique was equally employed to get the traditional doctors, adolescents who are involved in African Traditional Medicine and their parents or guardians. Number of problems were identified as hindering the development of traditional medicine, ranging from secrecy, lack of documentation, no introduction in scholar curriculum, spiritual power not commonly shared or freely accessible, fake practitioners, lack of medicinal garden, inadequate recognition and regulation by the government, non-integration in the conventional health system, scarcity of medicine due to the destruction of natural environment, challenge in conserving medicines, inadequacy of treatment facilities, inadequacy of finance or other boosting mechanisms, modernity leading to low consideration for traditional medicine, fear of the wild by adolescents, inadequate collaboration among practitioners, disturbs schooling and some aspects that are sex discriminative. The participants however identified number of assets that could boost the sector, notably early age involvement, social exposure as traditional medicine is practiced in the surroundings or home, the presence of role modelling at home or in the community, duration of training determined by confirmed professionalism, giftedness or predisposed talent which could be through revelation, gods/ancestral calls or natural, smaller class sizes, intrinsic motivation and passion, extrinsic motivation (alternative to schooling, employment, social status, sustaining parent’s legacy, social/community development), willingness by professionals to transfer knowledge and ensuring continuity, existence of professional organizations, complementarity between modern and traditional medicine, collaboration among practitioners, proven efficiency of traditional medicine, both boys and girls can learn, affordability, formal training opportunities, population interest and usage, trust, confidence in traditional medicine and the tradition ethic like selflessness, not-for-profit or righteousness guiding the practice of traditional medicine. Number of recommendations were made to boost the sector and so far the survival, conservation of cultural and traditional values, and the contribution to socio-economic development and youth cognitive development.
African Traditional Medicine, sustainability, youth, cognitive development, challenges, assets
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