ROLE OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE: IT’S BENEFIT AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

This study was on role of traditional medicine: the benefits and challenges. Three objectives were raised which included; To find out the benefit of traditional medicine and to find out the challenges of traditional medicine. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from people of Idimili local government of Anambra state. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).

 Chapter one

Introduction

Background of the study

Traditional medicine (TM), variously known as ethno-medicine, folk medicine, native healing, or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is the oldest form of health care system that has stood the test of time. It is an ancient and culture-bound method of healing that humans have used to cope and deal with various diseases that have threatened their existence and survival. Hence, TM is broad and diverse. Consequently, different societies have evolved different forms of indigenous healing methods that are captured under the broad concept of TM, e.g. Chinese, Indian and African traditional medicines. This explains the reason why there is no single universally accepted definition of the term. This notwithstanding, one of the most acceptable definitions of TM has been provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). According to the World Health Organisation, TM is “the sum total of the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health, as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illnesses” (WHO, 2000b:1). Traditional healer, on the other hand, is “a person who is recognised by the community where he or she lives as someone competent to provide health care by using plant, animal and mineral substances and other methods based on social, cultural and religious practices” (WHO, 2000a:11).

Natural product derived from plants has remained central to traditional medicine and has helped serve as sources of new drugs with good therapeutic effect and low toxicity. Unfortunately, the sleeping giant of pharmaceutical industrystill has several of thousands of plants species yet to be investigated for their phytoconstituents and invariably, their biological potentials (Hambuger and Hostetham, 1991). Therefore, the need for continuous search into the phytochemicals or such plants cannot be undermined. Nauclea latifolia is a shrub or small tree native to tropical Africa. The leaves are glabrous, opposite, rounded-ovate, glossy green with tufts of hairs. The fruits are usually fleshy, shallow-pitched, with numerous and brownish with a pleasant taste but could be emetic if taken in excess (wu,1993). Traditionally, the plant has been reported as an antimalarial, (Abbiw, 1990) antibacterial (wu etal,1999) and  antiviral, (Moral,1994). Other potentials of the fruits include, as a laxative (Jiofact etal, 2010) and hypocholesterolemic (Omale et al, 2011). Phytochemicals such as alkaloids(Atta-ur-Rahman, 2003),saponins (Morah, 1994), tannins, oxalates, phytates (Nkafamiya et al., 2006) and phthalates (Fadipe, 2014) have been  detected and isolated from various parts of the plant.

 Statement of the problem

Prior to the introduction of the cosmopolitan medicine, TM used to be the dominant medical system available to millions of people in Africa in both rural and urban communities. Indeed, it was the only source of medical care for a greater proportion of the population (Romero-Daza, 2002). There are strong indications that traditional health care systems are still in use by the majority of the people not only in Africa but across the world. In Africa, the healers are variously addressed as Babalawo, Adahunse or Oniseegun among the Yoruba speaking people of Nigeria; Abia ibok among the Ibibio community of Nigeria; Dibia among the Igbo of Nigeria; Boka among the Hausa speaking people of Nigeria; and Sangoma or Nyanga among South Africans (Cook, 2009). In indigenous African communities, the traditional doctors are well known for treating patient holistically. They (the traditional doctors) usually attempt to reconnect the social and emotional equilibrium of patients based on community rules and relationships (Hillenbrand, 2006) unlike medical doctors who only treat diseases in patients. In many of these communities, traditional healers often act, in part, as an intermediary between the visible and invisible worlds; between the living and the dead or ancestors, sometimes to determine which spirits are at work and how to bring the sick person back into harmony with the ancestors

Objective of the study

The objectives of the study are;

To find out the benefit of traditional medicine

To find out the challenges of traditional medicine

Research hypotheses

H1: there are no benefits of traditional medicine

H2: there are no challenges of traditional medicine

Significance of the study

The study will be of huge benefit to students, lecturers and the general public. The study will give a clear insight on the role of traditional medicine: the benefit and the challenges. The will serve as a reference to other researcher that will embark on the related topic

Scope of the study

The scope of the study covers role of traditional medicine: the benefits and the challenges. The study will be limited to the people of Idemili in Anambra state

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