Prior to the introduction of cosmopolitan medicine, traditional medicine used to be the dominant medical system available to millions of people in Africa in both rural and urban communities. However, the arrival of the Europeans marked a significant turning point in the history of this age-long tradition and culture. This paper examines the trends and challenges of traditional medicine in Africa. The impact of colonialism on African traditional medicine is also examined. Although the paper is on Africa, references are drawn around the world to buttress the growing demand for traditional medicine. The paper concludes that to minimise the current distrust between modern and traditional doctors and to achieve the objective of regulation, standardisation and cooperation, both traditional and modern doctors must acknowledge their areas of strengths and weaknesses from which they operate and be genuinely concerned about the difficult but necessary task of being human.

Importance: Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, and breathing difficulty. However, the mechanism of the disease, including some of the symptoms such as the neurological and musculoskeletal symptoms, is still poorly understood. Objective: The aim of this review is to summarize the evidence on the neurological and musculoskeletal symptoms of the disease. This may help with early diagnosis, prevention of disease spread, and treatment planning. Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (first 100 hits) were searched until April 17, 2020. The key search terms used were "coronavirus" and "signs and symptoms." Only studies written in English were included. Study Selection: The selection was performed by two independent reviewers using EndNote and Rayyan software. Any disagreement was resolved by consensus or by a third reviewer. 3-19%; I 2 86.74%), 3% for acute cerebrovascular disease (95% CI 1-5%; I 2 0%), and 2% for impaired consciousness (95% CI 1-2%; I 2 0%). Conclusion and Relevance: Patients with COVID-19 present with neurological and musculoskeletal symptoms. Therefore, clinicians need to be vigilant in the diagnosis and treatment of these patients.

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The present global pandemic of COVID-19 has brought the whole world to a standstill, causing morbidity, death, and changes in personal roles. The more common causes of morbidity and death in these patients include pneumonia and respiratory failure, which cause the patients to require artificial ventilation and other techniques that can improve respiratory function. One of these techniques is chest physiotherapy, and this has been shown to improve gas exchange, reverse pathological progression, and reduce or avoid the need for artificial ventilation when it is provided very early in other respiratory conditions. For patients with COVID-19, there is limited evidence on its effect, especially in the acute stage and in patients on ventilators. In contrast, in patients after discharge, chest physiotherapy in the form of respiratory muscle training, cough exercise, diaphragmatic training, stretching exercise, and home exercise have resulted in improved FEV1 (L), FVC (L), FEV1/FVC%, diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO%), endurance, and quality of life, and a reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms. However, there are still controversies on whether chest physiotherapy can disperse aerosols and accelerate the rate of spread of the infection, especially since COVID-19 is highly contagious. While some authors believe it is possible, others believe the aerosol generated by chest physiotherapy is not within respirable range. Therefore, measures such as the use of surgical masks, tele-rehabilitation, and self-management tools can be used to limit cross-infection.

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Background Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is effective in improving motor outcomes after stroke. However, its existing protocols are resource-intensive and difficult to implement. The aim of this study is to design an easier CIMT protocol using number of repetitions of shaping practice. Method The study design was randomized controlled trial. Participants within 4 weeks after stroke were recruited at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. They were randomly assigned to groups A, B, C, and D. Group A received 3 hours of traditional therapy. Groups B, C, and D received modified CIMT consisting of 3 hours of shaping practice per session, 300 repetitions of shaping practice in 3 sessions, and 600 repetitions of shaping practice in 3 sessions per day, respectively, and constraint for 90% of the waking hours. All treatment protocols were administered 5 times per week for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was measured using upper limb Fugl-Meyer assessment, while the secondary outcome was measured using motor activity log, Wolf Motor Function Test, and upper limb self-efficacy test at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after intervention. Result There were 48 participants 4 weeks after intervention. The result showed that there was no significant difference between groups at baseline (p > 0.05). Within-group improvements attained minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in modified CIMT and 300 repetitions and 600 repetitions groups. Conclusion Number of repetitions of shaping practice significantly improved motor function, real-world arm use, and upper limb self-efficacy after stroke. Therefore, it seems to be a simple alternative for the use of number of hours. Trial Registration This trial is registered with Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: PACTR201610001828172) (date of registration: 21/10/2016).

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Background. Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is used for the rehabilitation of motor function after stroke. Objectives. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of lower limb CIMT that uses number of repetition of tasks with the one that uses number of hours of practice. Method. The study was a randomized clinical trial approved by the Ethics Committee of Kano State Ministry of Health. Fifty-eight people with stroke participated in the study. Groups 1 and 2 performed daily 600 repetitions and 3 hours of task practice, respectively, 5 times weekly for 4 weeks. Motor impairment (primary outcome), balance, functional mobility, knee extensor spasticity, walking speed and endurance, and exertion before and after commencement of activities were assessed at baseline and postintervention. The data was analyzed using Friedmann and Mann-Whitney U tests. Result. The results showed that there was only significant difference ( p < 0.05 ) in knee extensor spasticity (group 1 ( median = 0 0 , mean   rank = 27.50 ); group 2 ( median = 0 0 , mean   rank = 31.64 )), exertion before commencement of activities (group 1 ( median = 0 0.5 , mean   rank = 21.90 ); group 2 ( median = 1 0.5 , mean   rank = 37.64 )), and exertion after commencement of activities (group 1 ( median = 1 1 , mean   rank = 20.07 ); group 2 ( median = 1 0 , mean   rank = 39.61 ) postintervention in favour of the experimental group (group 1)). Conclusion. The group 1 protocol is more effective at improving outcomes after stroke.