Strengthening Innovation Structures, Protection and Promotion of TM in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to explore the innovation channels existing under customary laws and the appropriateness of the current Intellectual property framework and its relevance to innovation, the promotion and protection of TMs as a solution to primary health care. The research revealed that there is widespread use of TM in Zimbabwe, it also reported on the efficacy of TM in dealing with different kinds of illnesses. However there is room to innovate among the practitioners. The main hindrance to innovation is the unavailability of a formal framework that guarantees the protection of traditional medical knowledge against bio-piracy and expropriation. Due to this fear, traditional medical knowledge holders are unwilling to come forth and innovate with their medicines. The research makes an outline of the implications of not strengthening innovation structures, it further gives recommendations towards the current IP framework and how it may be used to explore the vast economic and social potential that lies within TM. These are based on the views and expectations of the participants of the research.