Herbal Medicines: Alternatives to Orthodox Medicines in Ezeagu and Nsukka Communities in Enugu State, Nigeria

HERBAL MEDICINES: ALTERNATIVES TO ORTHODOX MEDICINES IN EZEAGU AND NSUKKA COMMUNITIES IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA Isife, Chima Theresa (Mrs.) Institute for Development Studies, Enugu Campus, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Mobile: +234-806-798-5288, Email: [email protected] Abstract Reports show that in-patient and out-patient hospital attendance declined from 45,000 in 1980 to just 25,000 in 1985. This work sought to establish the factors responsible for the dwindling patronage. A total of 255 respondents were randomly selected for the survey that used questionnaire to elicit information. Data were analyzed using simple frequencies and percentage tables. The Chi-square test was used to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed, among others, that the most common ailment in these communities is malaria, use of herbs is common in these communities, reasons for use of herbs depend on the nature of the ailment, belief in herbal option is widespread, males are more inclined to the use of herbs than women, using herbal medicine is believed to be less expensive than orthodox medicine, hospital/health centres are widely known to be available within less than 1km. Recommendations include creating awareness on efficacy of herbal medicines in order to encourgae their use, facilitating the formation of clusters among herbal practitioners for collective impact, enhancing sustainability of the commendable indigenous health practices, and craetion of databank for herbal use, healer skills and cultural resources in Nigeria. Introduction Health is an important and reoccurring issue for reason that health care delivery forms a very individuals, communities, and nations. The important aspect of any nation’s policy. When World Health Organization sees health as “a individuals are in good health, they can engage state of complete physical, mental and social fully in their daily social, economic and well-being and not mere absence of disease or religious activities. For this reason, countries infirmity” (WHO, 2003). Health also occupies place great premium on health to enjoy the fruit a prominent place in the United Nations of their labour. declaration of the Millennium Development In realization of the importance of Goals (MDGs). health, all tiers of Government in Nigeria The health status of a people in any devote large sums of money in their annual geographical setting is so important that if the budgets to health care. For instance, in 2009, a leaders of that nation fold their arms and do total sum of =N=103.46 billion was earmarked nothing to improve citizen’s health condition, it for the health sectors (Nigerian Village Square, will only be a matter of time before plagues or 2008). For the 2011 budget the Federal diseases will ravage such people. It is for this Government of Nigeria proposed to spend a 15 total amount of N235, 866, 438,244 for the health sector. Out of which the total personnel 16 Isife, C.T.: Herbal medicines in rural communities... Technoscience Review, 3(1&2), Nov., 2012 cost was put at =N=192, 885,136,258; total 527, 630, 328 (Federal Ministry of Finance, overhead cost N9,453, 716, 258; total recurrent 2011). These yearly expenditures show that N202, 338, 852,916; total capital cost N33, enormous budgetary resources were allocated to the health care sector. Despite The poor state of health is not peculiar the huge amount allocated to the health sector, to Anambra State alone. The health system in most Nigerians especially the rural dwellers are Nigeria and the health status of Nigerians are in yet to enjoy the health facilities in their various a deplorable state. Nigeria’s overall health areas. They still lack good and proper medical system performance was ranked 187th position services, hence they resort to the use of the among the 191 Member States of World Health alternatives to solve their health problems Organization in 2000.At the sub-national level, (Omeje, 2000). Issues of concern include available statistics for Enugu state shows that, access, distance, cost, inadequate personnel and health status indicators are worse than the drugs amongst others facilities. This explains average for sub-Saharan Africa. For example, why many Nigerians are going for alternative infant mortality rate of 115/1000; under 5 forms of healthcare. mortality rate 205/1000; and maternal mortality Aside from these, Onah (1995) is of the ratio of 948/100,000 (339/1000, 000 to opinion that the nature of illness very much 1,716/100,000) is one of the highest in the determines where people seek for treatment. world (SEED, 2004). Diseases perceived to emanate from the spirits Disease programmes, such as or with peculiar manifestations like “ogbuoo o HIV/AIDS; Tuberculosis (TB), Malaria and gbalaa” the healthy killer of pregnant women, other programmes like reproductive health are or “ itebi” that distorts a pregnant woman’s currently implemented within a weak health breasts enlarging them out of proportion and system and hence have had little impact. rendering them useless for suckling, clearly Routine immunization coverage rate of over belongs to the traditional healers. 80% in the early 1990s has dropped to less than It is, therefore, not surprising that Ukwu 25% and is only now beginning to show and Nwakoby (1989) in their study of the use marginal improvements. Primary health care of health facilities noted a declining patronage facilities serve only about 5-10% of the of Anambra government facilities. In-patient potential load. Public expenditure on health is and out-patient hospital attendance according to less than $10 per capita compared to the $34 them declined from 45,000 in 1980 to just recommended internationally. Private 25,000 in 1985. Concerned with the declining expenditures are estimated to be over 70% of patronage in these hospitals, the State the total national health expenditure with most Government set up a panel of enquiry to of it coming from out-of-pocket expenditures, establish the factors responsible for low in spite of the endemic nature of poverty in patronage. Memoranda received by panel set up Nigeria. Given this background, it is thus not to investigate the problems in the health service surprising that the herbal medicine use is on the showed that the most serious obstacles to health increase in Nigeria. sector included deficient basic facilities, Health facilities have over the years inadequate drug supplies, poor staff attitude been disproportionately concentrated in urban and performance, deficient 24-hour coverage areas, to the disadvantage of the rural and time wasting protocol (Ukwu and peripheries, where majority of the populace Nwakoby, 2000). reside. The local governments whose responsibility it is to implement the health 17 Isife, C.T.: Herbal medicines in rural communities... Technoscience Review, 3(1&2), Nov., 2012 policy as it concerns the rural areas are that rural dwellers contend with which include politically, financially and professionally poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, and power handicapped. Poor funding of the local structures (within and among households, inter governments also compounds the problem, and intra-gender which affect their use of since almost all funds allocated to them are orthodox health care facilities. The problem of used to service salaries and emoluments. Most low usage of orthodox medicine in the rural areas across the country therefore lack treatment of ailments is also compounded by adequate access to health facilities. Other issues the issue of fake and substandard drugs. As it were, many Nigerians are medicine in treatment of ailmentsH02 increasingly relying on traditional medicine in There is no association between socio- the treatment of ailments. In most rural areas in economic status of the people and the Enugu State, it is common for individuals to use of alternatives to orthodox health rely on herbal medicine, even when there are care facilities orthodox health care facilities. This study is, H03 There is no association between the therefore interested in investigating the income of the users of herbs and the indigenous knowledge and alternative health reliance of the people on the herbs. care practices in selected communities in Ezeagu and Nsukka Local Government of Research questions Enugu state, Nigeria. To guide enquiry, the following research questions were posed. Objectives of the study: The specific objectives include the following: i. What are the people’s attitude to the use of orthodox medicine and i. To determine the peoples attitude to traditional medicine in treatment of the use of herbal medicines in ailments? treating health issues in these ii. What are the socio-economic status of communities. the people using herbal treatment ii. To assess the socio- economic effect on for their ailments? the citizens using the herbal iii. What is the relationship between the use medicines and the practitioners in of herbs and the income of the these communities. users? iii. To assess the relationship between the income of the users of herbs and the Significance of the study continued patronage to the herbal Findings from this work will enable the Local medicine in these communities. Governments and the State Governments to see the need to create enabling environment for Hypothesis enhancement of indigenous knowledge in The null hypotheses formulated to guide the tackling the health needs of the people. The study were: local practitioner will equally benefit from the study, which will reveal their beneficial role as H0 1 There is no significant difference partners in development. between people’s attitude to the use of orthodox medicine and traditional 18 Isife, C.T.: Herbal medicines in rural communities... Technoscience Review, 3(1&2), Nov., 2012 The scope of the study Enugu State, Nigeria. The communities This study restricteditself to the study of the selected in Ezeagu Local Government Area citizen’s indigenous practices in the use of were Awha Imezi and Awha Ndi Agu in herbal medicine in selected communities in Imezi:,Ihile Akpa and Edem-ani communities Ezeagu and Nsukka Local Government Aeas of in Edem were selected from Nsukka L.G.A.

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