Traditional medicine has always been a source of health care for Africans even though it has been underplayed by conventional medical practices of the west.

The Zimbabwe Traditional Cultural and Medicinal Expo recently held in Harare attracted more than 80 exhibitors, mainly traditional healers, dressmakers and handicraft producers from southern Africa. The expo was meant to strengthen and maintain a regional relationship with the African Healers Association and other organizations that are involved in research into traditional medicine and healthcare through cultural heritage.

Herbal medicine is the oldest and most natural health care systems in the world, using plants as opposed to synthetic drugs. These remedies have been used to cure diseases, heal injuries, protect against bad luck or omen and for religious ceremonies.

"The expo was designed to promote and sustain medicine as a competitive alternative to the country's health care delivery system," said Mutsa Chikede, the exhibitions director, and who is also involved in the research into traditional medicine.

Close to 80 percent of the world's population relies on medicinal plants for their primary health, especially in the wake of prohibitive costs and the lack of availability of modern drugs.

Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) secretary for public relations, Peter Sibanda, said "traditional medicine is not getting the platform that it deserves and we are working to put an end to this scenario."

Commenting about the exhibition, Chikede said the "exhibition called on traditional healers to improve their services and activities.

"The Expo looked at encouraging the different practitioners to improve their packaging so that their products become competitive like modern medicine."

While it is a fact that traditional health systems are locally accessible and culturally relevant, the challenge is to first ensure that they are safe and in fact work. Poor documentation, lack of standards and the absence of regulatory mechanisms are among the challenges hindering traditional medicine a key component in health care.

Despite the growing use of conventional medicines, and the establishments of several health institutions, such as hospitals, clinics and laboratories, traditional medicine has managed to survive and flourish with a growing scientific interest in its effectiveness.

The Zimbabwe expo was complementary to the African biodiversity programme, that is aimed at strengthening the capacity of SADC members to implement the provisions of the international convention on biodiversity.

Natural herbs were exhibited, providing a framework for an equitable participation of all the different players in herbal medicine. Priorities were defined to facilitate processes including cultivation, harvesting, packaging, sustainable use of medicinal plants and other cultural activities that are linked to herbal medicine. Notable is the interaction of herbal healing with other cultural activities such as music and dressing. Some healing activities require certain music to be played, while the healer puts on special attire for the occasion.

It is estimated that more than two-thirds (35,000) of the world's plant species are of medicinal value.

And seven thousand medicinal compounds used in western medicine are derived from the plants found in developing countries, mainly in Africa. With several of these herbs illegally taken from Africa, the expo participants spoke strongly against this practice. They called on governments to come up with legislation to protect the region's indigenous species.

"Any plant that is exported from a country must benefit the traditional healer and the community it is harvested from," said Chikede.

The exhibition was not spared from the common attack that traditional healers are making false claims when they say that they can cure HIV/AIDS. Participants however noted the wider usage of traditional herbal treatments for HIV/AIDS-related conditions including opportunistic infections such as chronic diarrhea, herpes and weight loss. These attacks are regarded as unfortunate with people under estimating the potential of herbal medicine. (SARDC)

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