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Page 1 of 2  A Survey by the World Health Organization (WHO) carried out 20 years ago had revealed that 80 per cent of the health delivery systems in Third World countries, which include Zambia, constituted of traditional medicine. However, in recent times, the social status and educational background have had a great influence on the use and understanding of traditional medicine. Although, current statistical information on the use of traditional medicine can not be made available more especially in Zambia, it is believed that a high percentage of the population in developing countries still resort to "Ng'angas’ or Sangoma’s as they are known in South Africa, especially after conventional medicine has failed. Of late, Western countries have also been reported to have turned to herbs/herbal remedies as a faster and cheaper way to tackle ailments such as anxiety, memory loss, depression, enhancement of sexual libido and many others too numerous to mention.
Zambia, which the United Nations estimated that one in six Zambians has HIV/AIDS, has more than 40,000 traditional healers whereas western doctors are only estimated at 1,000. Traditional healers comprise among others diviners, herbalists, spiritualists and traditional birth attendants. Some healers are however, believed to have been introduced to traditional medicine by their ancestors while others learnt the trade from the spirits of their dead forefathers. A few traditional health providers have also been introduced to traditional medication by studying various plants and trees. Traditional medicine, according to Traditional Health Practitioners Association of Zambia (THPAZ) definition, is the total of all proved and unproved knowledge and practices handed down from generation to generation, orally or in writing, used in the correction of mental, physical, spiritual and social imbalances.
THPAZ president Dr Rodwell Vongo once said that “both the western and traditional health providers have their own weaknesses and strengths, hence the need to collaborate both practices. Given the present financial constraints, most Third World countries, including Zambia, cannot afford to import all essential drugs and equipment, hence the need to include traditional medicine in our health planning”.
Quite recently clinical trials were carried out on the effectiveness of Herbal Remedies on the cure of HIV/AIDS by the National Aids Council (NAC). The trial conformed to World Health Organization guidelines and out of the 79 Herbs that were presented for research, only four qualified to be researched, namely Mayeyanin Formulation, Sondashi Formulation made by former Works and Supply Minister and Constitutional Lawyer Dr. Ludwig Sondashi, the Mailacin Formulation made by a School Teacher and the Ngoma Formulation. However, the Ngoma Formulation could not be analyzed because the owner/founder died before the research commenced. 26 people infected with HIV were enrolled in the study/trial, out of which 11 were on Mayeyanin Formula, 10 on Sondashi Formula and 5 on Mailacin Formula. The objectives of the research were aimed at determining whether the herbs were safe for human use and ascertain whether they could eliminate the virus from the human body as to amount to a cure. The Herbalists claimed that their herbal remedies could totally cure Aids within a period of 3 Months. Unfortunately based on the findings, the report concluded that the herbal remedies/medicines that were under study did not cure HIV/AIDS. The research covered a six months period, from November 2005 to April 2006 - (which was more than the three months period that herbalists claimed their remedies could cure HIV/AIDS on the test participants). The parameters used to access the effectiveness and toxicity of the herbs were the viral load, CD 4 count and observing any side effects. The report on safety stated that the herbal remedies tested were safe for human consumption because none of the 26 participants died and that no side effects were observed.
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