Prospects of the Role of Herbal Medicine in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals - PowerPoint Presentation

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Prospects of the Role of Herbal Medicine in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals for Health: Evidence from the Wassa Amenfi West District.Adjei, B., Agyemang, S., and Mensah, C.M.KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI

2012 GHANA GEOGRAPHICAL/GHANA GEOGRAPHICAL TEACHERS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

KNUST, KUMASI

1-4 AUGUST 2012Slide2

IntroductionHealth-related MDGs:

Reduce child mortality

Improve maternal health

Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Develop a global partnership for development (Providing access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries).

The Goals seek to address the world’s most staggering health and poverty issues (UNDP, 2010).

Meeting the goals would produce a healthier, and more economically sound world.

Ghana’s health-related MDG targets are still far from being

realised

because of numerous problems bedevilling the health care sector.Slide3

Most households and individuals use herbal medicines, either as complementary or even first line treatment for their ailments (Lucas, 2010). Proportion of use of herbal medicine:

80% of the world’s population, (WHO, 2003)

80% of Africans (

Okigbo

and

Mmeka

, 2006; WHO, 2002)

70% to 75% of Ghanaians(Baidoo, 2009;

Darko

, 2009; Abbiw, et al. 2002).

Herbal medicine is the first line of treatment for more than 60% of children with high fever resulting from malaria (WHO, 2003).

Studies and scientific tests have found several herbal preparations to be safe and effective, comparatively more readily available, affordable, culturally acceptable, and easily accessible (Buor,1993).Slide4

Problem statement The Wassa Amenfi West is beset with problems of accessing and utilizing modern health care:About 65% of the people live far from modern health

centres

(6km and 35km away).

Only 4.5% (40km) of the district’s 883.6km length of roads is tarred.

Inadequate healthcare facilities (only 14), and poor health professional staffing (44 medical staff) in the district.

Doctor-population ratio of 1:38,841 compared to national average of 1:11,929

High MMR of 757 per 100,000 live births compared to national average of 214 per 100,000 live births.

Long period observation and reconnaissance survey revealed a significant patronage of herbal medicineSlide5

OBJECTIVES Primary objective is to find out the use of herbal medicine and the role it could play in achieving the MDGs for health by improving accessibility and affordability to healthcare. Specific objectives:Analyze the extent of patronage of herbal medicine in the Amenfi West District

Evaluate the perceptions about the efficacy and safety of herbal medicine in relation to orthodox medicine.

3. Analyze the possibility of integrating traditional and orthodox health care systems and the prospects of achieving this. Slide6

Scope of the studyStudy is on the beliefs, perceptions and real life experiences associated with use of herbal medicine. It does not encompass the use of clinical tests on the efficacy of herbal medicine. Concerned with the physical treatment aspects of herbal medicine, and not the spiritual. Slide7
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MethodologyStudy communities

Manso

Amenfi,

Hiawa

,

Achichire

,

Obing

and

Manhyia

.

Sample size of 230 used, made up of

205 household members-simple random

10 orthodox medical practitioners-purposive

15 herbal medicine practitioners-snowball sampling

Data Collection Tools

Structured interviews (household members and HMPs)

Questionnaires for (OMPs)

FGDs Guide (cross-section of household members)

Analysis and Presentation of Data

Descriptive analysis using SPSS v 16 and Excel 2007.

Frequency tables, cross tabulations, and pie charts used to present the data.

Theme analysis, non-tabular presentation and direct quotations used for qualitative data.

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Results and DiscussionsExtent of Patronage of Herbal MedicineOver 92% of household members have used herbal medicine at least once in their lifetime.

All the 10 orthodox health care professionals have used herbal medicine at one point or another in their life.

Over half (50.7%) of the household members usually use herbal medicine when they are sick and 50.2% used herbal medicine the last time they were sick.

Herbal medicine is mostly used as the first choice treatment of ailments for almost half (49.7%) of the respondents, while others use it as alternative (24.9%) and complementary (21%) to orthodox medicine.

Sources of Herbal Medicine

Relatives - 32.7%

Farm or backyard - 30.6%

Herbal practitioners 26.1%

Pharmacy shops or drug stores - 6.6%

Hospital or clinic - 2.9% Slide10

Herbal medicines and diseases treatedLocal

name

Common

name

Scientifi

c name

Part of plant used

Disease(s)

treated

Onyina

Ceiba

pentandra

BarkHerniaAnanse ntentanNewbouldia laevisLeavesBone fractureMmaakubeFan palmBaassus Aethiopum RootsAsthmaAbePalm treeElaeis guineensisOilSkin rashesPeterprebiGardenia ternifolia RootsInfertility, RheumatismNim, GyeduaNeem treeAzadirachta indicaleavesFever, malaria, ringworm, etc. Esro wisaAshanti PepperPiper guineesisSeedConvulsion stomach purgative

ICSD, UG, ACCRA

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Perception on the Efficacy of Herbal Medicine95.6% perceived herbal medicine to be effective 63.9% believed that herbal medicine is more effective than orthodox medicine.

9 of the 10 orthodox health care professionals believed in the efficacy of herbal medicine.Slide12

72.7% disagreed with the statement that herbal medicine is dangerous to human health

Reasons for disagreeing

Natural - 56.7%

Relatively longer life - 30%

Experienced no side effects - 13.3%

A farmer in the men focus group:

“I do not think this is true at all. Our forefathers depended on herbal medicine only, which is made by God (natural) and they lived longer than the current generation who mostly rely on orthodox medicine.”Slide13

Reasons for use of Herbal Medicine

Source: Field study, 2011

A teacher from the formally educated focus group had this to say:

‘’... I think herbal medicines are cheaper. For instance, I pay GHC2.OO for only malaria injection ... Meanwhile I can boil some tea leaves and the bark of

Neem

tree and drink without paying for it’’

Reason

Frequency

Percentage (%)

More effective

90

44

Less costly

51

25

Easily accessible47

22.8

In line with tradition

11

5.4

Other

6

2.7

Total

205

100Slide14

Interactions between Herbal Practitioners and Orthodox Medical Practitioners93.7% of households have never been referred from a biomedical doctor to herbal practitioner86.3% have never been referred by a herbal practitioner to a biomedical doctor.

14 out of 15 HPs confirmed patients have never been referred from the hospital or biomedical doctor to them.

6 out of 10 Orthodox health care professionals revealed same. Slide15

Integration of Traditional Medicine into Modern MedicineIntegration is supported by:81.5% of household members. 7 of the 10 orthodox health care professionals.14 of the 15 herbal practitioners. Benefits of integration

Benefits of integration

Address problems of health care delivery

long distances

Queues

inadequate health professionals and logistics

Improved accessibility to healthcare

Increased health care provision,

“I think integration could be quite helpful. The reason is that where the medical doctor cannot treat an ailment, it could be transferred (referred) to the herbal practitioner…This is what we want for our people so that we will not join long queues at the hospital.”- Trader. Slide16

ConclusionHerbal medicine is highly patronized by the people of Wassa Amenfi West and Ghanaians are developing more interest in it. HM plays a significant role in health care delivery by providing a readily available and accessible, equally effective, and more affordable health care for the rural people. There is strong belief in the efficacy, potency and safety of herbal medicinal plants.

Traditional and modern medicines lie side by side and not properly integrated.

Integration of both medical systems is hugely supported by all stakeholders.

Integration could go a long way in meeting the health-related goals of the MDGs. Slide17

Ways to achieve integration Promotion of cross referral of patientsEstablishment of herbal care units at all levels of healthcare.

Training of herbal practitioners in modern health care practices

Clinical testing of the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines before use

Documentation of herbal medicines and their uses

Training of Herbal Practitioners

Dosage and side effects,

Branding and packaging,

Hygienic preparation and administration,

Revelation of indigenous knowledge, and the

Sustainable utilization of medicinal plantsSlide18

Areas for further researchSeeming mistrust between herbal and orthodox practitioners Types of plants and the parts used for medicine.The documentation of plants and their therapeutic properties Slide19

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