Effects and strategic option of escalating use of herbal medicine in Kenya.
By Ibrahim Suley
Natural herbs fall under the category of traditional medicine and were the main treatment for human diseases for centuries. Herbal medications are a type of herbal product that is used for healing purposes and is generated from plants and plant materials. There are various substances derived from either raw or processed plant parts such as leaves, flowers, stems, seeds and roots. It is thought that a proportion of the current medicines, are derived from herbs that were first used traditionally.
However, there is little scientific evidence to support the safety and effectiveness of the majority of herbal stuffs. In recent times, the disease spectrum has evolved, with complicated chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cancers among others taking center stage. The effects of contemporary medicine treatment are unsatisfactory, and are sometimes associated with adverse drug reactions thus motivating patients to opt for herbal products for healing.
In recent years, there has been a great deal of interest in the use of herbal medicine for the treatment of a wide range of disorders. Studies have revealed that herbal medicine is used for basic health care by up to four billion people in the developing world, which accounts for 80% of the world’s population. With the increasing number of population globally and the modern medicines going at inflated prices and coupled with the scarcity of economic resources, the control of non-communicable diseases especially in the developing countries might be a challenge in the near future.
Scientists and researchers have alluded that availability of medicinal plants in Sub-Saharan Africa if well explored has great potentials to address various emerging and re-emerging viral diseases confronting the region. The recent outbreak of Corona virus Disease in 2019 has distorted health systems of many developing countries including Kenya. Efforts have been made to either develop new treatment solutions such as vaccines or repurpose previously adopted drugs. It is worthy appreciated that, the challenges in accessing available treatment, inadequate, non-existent, or overstretched healthcare facilities, long COVID disease, cultural practices and beliefs about vaccination, vaccine hesitancy, availability, accessibility and perceived safety of herbal supplements seem to be major factors driving individuals to use herbal supplements especially in the developing countries.
In Kenya, the emerging of tropical diseases are on the rise and the number of cases of medication resistance is rising, putting a lot of pressure on the available resources especially the financial and skilled human capital. Likewise, poor diet, along with the inability of the bulk of the population to afford effective contemporary health care, may lead to an increase in the number of people seeking services from traditional medicine practitioners when they fall ill.
However, the demand for herbal medicine is growing in a wider scale in Kenya since it is easily accessible to the poor population and is pocket friendly. The products are sold by hawkers on the streets, bus terminus and other unregulated outlets. Studies have revealed suspected toxicity and unwanted reactions associated with the safety of herbal medicine, including side effects as a result of overdoses, over durations and hypersensitivity reactions, as well as midterm and long-term effects on various organs such as kidneys, liver and the heart.
While herbal medicine cannot be shelved out of the market anytime soon, countries can work towards ensuring the safety, efficacy, and proper integration of herbal medicine into their healthcare systems. The following approach and strategy can contribute to the control and safety of the herbal medicine;
Promote Research: Encourage and fund scientific research to validate the efficacy and safety of herbal remedies. This can involve collaborations between traditional healers, scientists, and healthcare professionals.
Standardization: Establish and enforce quality standards for the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of herbal products. This includes ensuring the use of standardized extraction methods and the identification of active compounds.
Enhance Regulatory Frameworks: Develop and strengthen regulatory frameworks for herbal medicines. This involves creating guidelines for product registration, labeling, and safety assessments.
Collaboration with Traditional Healers: Involve traditional healers in the regulatory process to integrate traditional knowledge into formal healthcare systems.
Public Education: Educate the public, healthcare professionals, and traditional healers about the benefits, risks, and proper use of herbal medicines. This can help reduce misconceptions and promote safe practices.
Training Programs: Provide training programs for traditional healers to enhance their knowledge of modern healthcare practices and improve collaboration with conventional healthcare providers.
Healthcare System Integration: Integrate herbal medicine into formal healthcare systems, ensuring that it complements conventional treatments and is used safely and effectively.
Knowledge Sharing: Facilitate international collaboration and knowledge-sharing on herbal medicine research and practices. This can help developing countries benefit from the experiences and expertise of others.
Build Research Capacity: Invest in training and building the research capacity of scientists, healthcare professionals, and traditional healers to conduct rigorous studies on herbal medicines.
The writer is a Clinician/Health systems expert and researcher (PHD Candidate) and former CEC Health Services (Medical Services, Public Health and Sanitation)-Wajir County.
