Ethnomedicine Symposium

The 5th International Congress of Ethnobiology on Ethnobiology and Conservation of Cultural and Biological Diversity was held at Kenyatta International Conference Center, Nairobi, Kenya on September 2-6, 1996. The Con-ress was held under the auspices of the International Society of Ethnobiology and organized by National Museums of Kenya with Ms. Chrisine Kabuye as the President. There were thirteen syinposium sessions which included Ethnobiology History and Inventories: Methodologies of Ethnobiological Research; Traditional Practices and Beliefs in Preservation of Cultural and Biological Diversity; Indigenous People and their Knowledge in Rural Development and Resource Management; Cultural Identity and Resource Use, Ethnomedicine and Ethnoveterinary Medicine; Traditional Farming Systems, Food and Nutrition; Innovations; Folk Taxonomy and Ethnoecology; Database Symposiums@ Public Health Symposiums; Ethnomedicine symposium-, Policy Issues and Community Rights. The Congress was very enriching and offered a great opportunity for ethnobiologists and scientists throughout the world to share experiences which will no doubt lead to enhanced collaboration in ethnomedicine.

The Ethnomedicine Symposium was chaired by Prof Maurice lwu, the new President-elect of ISE and the rapporteui- was Nathan Ole-Lengisugi of MARECIK. Tanzania. The following papers were presented at the symposium:

1. Ethnomedical Approach to Understanding Indigenous Science of Rainforest Botanical Healer

Thomas Carlson* M.D. Steven R. King, Ph.D.
Shaman Pharmaceuticals, CA

Integration of the fields of medicine, ethnobotany. ethnophari-nacology and anthropology is important to understanding traditional botanical medicine of rainforests healers. Local botanical healers embody deep knowledge in medicine, botany and ecology. Ethnobotanist-Physician teams with training in anthropology can effectively recognize and evaluate the subtleties in the indigenous science of rainforest botanical healers. The ethnobotanist identifies the medicinal plants and learns about their abundance, distribution, ecology and preferred collection time to obtain the most desirable medicinal qualities. The physician diagnoses the diseases being treated by each medicinal plant. He/She also initiates appropriate discussions to elicit detailed information on medicinal plant preparation, administration, posology (i.e. dose size, dose interval. total ]en-ht of treatment), clinical effects and any other side effects. It is valuable when the physician and botanist can see patients with the local healers and make concurrent diagnoses. It is particularly useful when the modern physician is able to follow the patient throughout the duration of the botanical treatment. The physician and ethnobotanist can develop a trusting collegial relationship with the healer through learning from and workin(i with him/her. For diseases not well treated by the indigenous medicine, the local healer may invite the modern medical physician to be a consultant and provide modern care to his/her patients.

Questions:

Brenda (Canada) : How do you compare diabetes patients in developing countries in relation to their contemporaries in developed countries?

A: Developed countries have better modern medical facilities care while non- European countries in the developing world 60-80% have a high risk rate.

Gary Martin: How do healers cope with many people going into the cities'?

A: Traditional healers are still consulted by urban dwellers but botanical herb sellers delivers in towns.

Kuhiyo (Kenya): Are there plant herbs that have toxicity to patients that traditional healers must caution'? Do plant preparation extracts in crude form more active than in pure forms? Do you reco-nize botanical medicine antagonism or synergism in traditional practice?

1: Allergic response to botanical medicine preparations is culturally dependent. Some herbal preparations are strictly for certain age groups and restrictive to alcohol, tobacco, heat or direct sunlight. 2. Yes, though during processing different active compounds get lot. However, it is always after to use whole plant preparation than parts to avoid toxicity. 3. Yes, traditional healers deliver botanical medicines that are sometimes antagonistic to produce desired effect also to attain desired effects with necessary cautions.

Okafor (Nigeria): What is the name of the plant used in diabetes treatment?

A: Name was given with cautions for intellectual property rights.

Mahunnah (Tanzania): In botanical medicinal treatments case presentation and expanded diagnostic approach are methods popularly employed. Do you see these two methods coi-nplementary or antagonistic?

A: Complementary.

Iwu: It is important to have an integrated team of ethnobotanists, healers andphysicians in Primary Health Care.

The Need of Standardization of Traditional Medicine Through Scientific Investigation

This paper focused on the study of botanical healing through scientific investigations. It highlights methods employed in selection of plants used in everyday treatment with seasonal use variation. The paper pointed out that the phytomedicine content of medicinal plants decrease between January to April and increases in May-August and lowers in August- December.

Questions:

Gary Martin : Is the phytomedicine content variation between seasons also understood by traditional healers?

A: Yes, and when laboratory screening was carried out between the seasons so described, there was significant decrease in the number of active compounds.

Maside (Nairobi) : 1. Is the fluctuation in plant medicinal material within seasons due to rainfall or temperature?

A: It is assumed that rainfall regime causes the effects in the fluctuations in humid dry climates. However, it was observed that cultural implications must also be taken into consideration. Different cultural practices regulate medicinal plant use through seasons.

2. Do active compounds differ in concentrations in leaves, bark or roots'?

A: Concentration in leaves decreases considerably than in bark and roots.

Naidoo (South Africa) : The paper pointed out that seasonal sensitive plants loose considerably concentrations of the active compounds. What is the position on herbal efficacy during seasonal variation?

A: Laboratory screening results during seasonal variation revealed that compound concentrations were low without decrease in efficacy. However, traditional healers increased amounts and frequency of use.

Traditional Medical Plants: Present Ethnobotanical Status in South Africa

Danny Naidoo, University of Durban-Westville

The paper focused on the indigenous medicinal plant utilization present status in South Africa. Research on traditional medicinal plants utilization has revealed that traditional healing advanced from herbal delivery in rural communities to large scale commercialization. The author emphasized the necessity to convene a workshop to bring together all the ethnobotanical healers, physicians and anthropologists to examme the extent of medicinal plants harvesting and come up with immediate solutions.

Questions:

Muthoka (Nairobi) : We have adequate knowled-e of Traditional healers in a w@olistic approach on plants utilization but what about other stakeholders so described?

A: It is true traditional healers have no problem with the environment on the effects of botanical medicinal collections but the problem lies with other stakeholders who may not even be healers but just herbal urban seller.

Q: What about conservation measures (inter-SitLI) in horticultural yards to propagate the threatened or near extinct species?

A: There is a project established in South Africa dealing with training for all stakeholders in proper collection of herbal medicinal plants and methods to conserve (ex-situ) by growing nurseries.

Ethnomedicine of Acalyphia L. Euphorbiaceae in Tanzania

R. Mahunnah, College of Health Sciences, University of Muhimbili, Tanzania

The position of traditional medicine utilization and research among traditional healers in Tanzania in the past 18 years was analysed. Several journals have been launched including Traditional medicine and Pharmacology have been published and Traditional medicine forms part of the National Primary Care throughout the country. Several workshops had been organized to bring traditional healers, botanists, physicians and researchers together to develop cordial relationships. Another aspect of the paper narrated the successful treatment of a wide spectrum of diseases using Acalypha species leading to the current research into a taxonomic study of Acalypha euphorbiance. Several tribes and ethnic groups engaged in traditional medicine were interviewed on their experience with Acalypha euphorbiance in healing regimes. Examples of ailments, diseases and other metabolic disorders successfully treated using Acalypha sp. included a number of diseases sensitive to antibiotics, antirheumatic complaints, pyrexia and a wide spectrum of other maladies. Acalypha is also used as an aphrodisiac. Some Acalypha species are used in psychomatic approach treatment. The paper stated that the biological activity (in vitro) on literature review recognizes Acalypha as having oth microbial and fungicidal properties. Ethnochemical and ethnobiological activities were also field reviewed. A total of 75 species of Acalypha were studied. It is claimed to treat 46 different kinds of diseases and involved in 65 other forms of medical uses. The paper concluded by calling on scientists and researchers to bias their research to specific genera in ethnomedical practices.

Questions:

Diane Russel :You claim that 46 different kinds of diseases can effectively be treated using Acalypha L. specific genera. How does this medicinal plant properties work? Could it be an immuno-stimulant?

A: He replied that because the pharmacological infon-nation so sighted was extracted from scientific works/ literature reviews, he could not give reason on the mechanism of drug active principle function be it chemotaxonomic or immunestimulant.

Antimalarial Activity of Some of Kenyan Medicinal Plants

E. Omulokoli*, C.S. Chabra* & B. Khan*

*Kenyatta University, **Biomedical Science Research Centre, Kenya Medical Res. Inst., Nairobi

Malaria, caused by a plasmodium species, is the tropical disease causing the highest morbidity and mortality. About one million children aged under five years die each year in Africa alone. In the past decade, the World Health Organization has recognised herbal medicine as an essential part of primary health care programmes if it has to achieve its goal of global health bv the vear 2000. Although traditional medicine has been practised in Africa as early as the fourth century, not much research into the activity of these plants has been documented. Crude extracts from plants has been documented. Crude extracts from plants and other natural resources need to be scientifically validated for their medicinal properties. clinical usefulness and toxicity. This paper gives the results of antimalarial screening of four Kenyan medicinal plants. Extracts from roots, rootbarks, stem, stembark and leaves were evaluated for their antimalarial activity and was quantitatively measured by the ability of the extracts to inhibit the uptake of radiolabelled nucleic acid precursor by Plasinodiumfcilciparuin during the short term culture in microtitration plates. The extracts were tested on K67, a chloroquine sensitive strain and on ENT36, a chloroquine resistant strain.

Questions:

Massiela (Kenya): How is treatment using antimalarial medicinal plants administered?

A: A concoction dose of one glass taken twice a day for a week has yielded successful results.

Q :What part of Kenya was involved in the research study?

A: Medicinal plants were also found endermic in Kakamega and Mombasa.

Antibiotic Screening of Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used to Manage Infections in Kenya

D. Mutta, KEFRI, Nairobi, Kenya

The paper presents a documentation of plants used in traditional medicine for infectious diseases in Kenya, followed by an analysis of antimicrobial activities of their methanolic extracts. In a participatory approach indigenous knowledge on plants used was documented from the Giriama livin(, near the Arabuko Sokoke forest to treat infections of the Gastrointestinal tract, skin and sexually transmitted diseases. Documentation efforts will contribute towards preservation of the fragile indigenous knowled-e currently threatened by influence of modernization.

Methanolic extracts of these species were tested against selected pathogenic bacteria i.e. the acid fats bacterium Mycobacterium phlei, four strains of gram positive bacteria Bacilllis subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus K147, S. aureus MRP0017 and Streptococcus faecalis, four strains of gram negative bacteria - Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa H187, P. aeruginosa H188, Salmonella typhimurium and two strains of yeast fungi Candida albicans and Saccaromyces cerevisiae. Most of the extracts were active, some of them having a strong link between the disease they are used to treat traditionally and the impact on the responsible bacteria and fungi. This linkage provides evidence for the presence of antibiotic substances and establishes, in vitro, the efficacy of the herbal remedies used for infectious diseases.

Questions:

J. Nguhiu Mwangi : Your research is on human i-nedicine integrating traditional medicine. Working with Kenya Forest Institute, why didn t you do research on plants to treat plant ailments.

A: There was enough practical pool of knowled-e on medicinal plants use for humans and not for plants. The enormous amount of medicinal plants diversity in forest is of paramount importance for mankind health and food.

Q: What is the current status of Arabuko Sokoke forest.

A: Okay.

Claudie Haxarie (France) : It is well known that there are so many useful medicinal plants in Arabuko Sokoke forest area of your study. Why are only eleven different kinds of medicinal plants observed in your study.

A: In fact 250 plants were detailed in the study but only 36 different species belonging to 23 families were screened for microbial activity.

Mahunnah: Let's force close links in research within our olobal regional area so as to reduce repetition in research. Tim Jones : What is a possibility of getting plants with medicinal properties to treat sick plants?

A: There were studies done in Cameroon and some plants were identified that contained poisonous properties effective in the treatment of other plants.

Lerai Oltetia: The forest reserve where you conducted research IS Currently degazzetted. Many plant spp are depended in that ecosystem and are threatened by activities of many stakeholders. Could ethnobiologists advice policy makers to safeguard that forest before it is destroyed?

Iwu : It is a well thought comment.

The Development of Tradtional Medicine in Zambia

Dr. Stains Maiye Ziba

The paper detit with Traditional Medicine in Zambia. There are about 300-400 healers in Zambia and a register is kept to track Associations established to control fake activities of some healers. Certificates are issued to those -enuine traditional healers. A concoction that has a broad spectrum of activity used to treats hair, brain, eye sight, ears problems was shown. The portion is also used for tooth ache, meningitis, sores, chest infections,, backache, limb paralysis. The presenter, a traditional healer, is involved in the coordination of other traditional healers in Zambia and engaged in traditional healing with medicinal plants.

Questions:

Naidoo: You are not a mere traditional healer. What are the politics in Zambia concerning traditional healers'?

A:The Zambian government is now organizing seminars to bring traditional healers and physicians together. At the i-noiiient traditional healers are working independent of modern physicians. The policy is strongly asserting that traditional healers are registered.

Mahunnah: How many plants are involved in the concoction?

A: 4 plants and I mineral.

Q: What are You doing to bridge the gap between Traditional healers and scientists to get your credibility?

A: Scientists in the past were given medicinal plants that are used to treat some diseases but no feedback was received.

Q: How much of Zambian population deal with Traditional healers?

A. 50% of the population deals with TH.

Iwu: Scientists did not have means in the past to screen medicinal plants. They were not even trained to use the screening methods needed for natural products. It is only in recent times that scientists had answers to medicinal plants.

Community Participation and Economic Interest Ensure Conservation of Biodiversity

Chief Mrs. F.N. Ilonzo - Director, C.P.H.A.

Any piece of land is open to a variety of uses. The eventual use Of the land depends on one or more of the following factors:

I. Economic

II. Social

III. Religious IV. Strategic/Military

This paper focuses on economic considerations of land use as it relates to preservation of biodiversity.

ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS:

A piece of land may be set aside for crop production, forestry or for grazing of livestock. In the Forest region of Nigeria, a communally owned piece of land is usually reserved for crop production and is allocated to individual farmers who eventually pay land rents to the community in return. The farmers conduct farming activities for periods not exceeding two years.

After the farmers tenure, the farm land reverts back to community property until it is reallocated to another set of farmers. Under the tenancy of the farmers, the bush is subjected to slash-andburn, which destroys most of the existing flora, both the mature and new growth trees as well as the associated organisms. This practice upsets the equilibrium that exists under natural forest condition where succession of species continues without the interference of man. The profit accruable to the cropping farmers from their harvests and to the community from the farmers rent, may seem enormous. In reality, the loss is astronomical especially considering the medicinal potential of these indigenous plant species and the possibility of them being wiped out of existence. Consider the variability now rendei-ed impossible, or the perpetuation of species virtually terminated. It is i permanent loss. Crop production must continue, but not at the expense of the herbal species whose medicinal value we cannot afford to lose. A system should be implemented allowing continued en oyiiient of our farm crops while Simultaneously preserving the benefits of our herbal species. Farmlands should be set aside, while groves and bushes harboring valuable herbal/mediciiial materials should be i-eservec', and protected against any encroachment. More importantly, these groves ind bushes should be protected against their Li@e as firewood. FetchinLy of wood from them should be diSCOLirLt,-,ed because the b@irk of the trees and their twigs are rich sources ol' medicinal materials. Their value is far more precious as medicine than their use as firewood.

STRATEGY FOR ECONOMIC USE CONSERVATION-A CASESTUDY

The Management of the Centre for Psychic and Healing Administration (C.P.H.A) recognizes the need to let communities have economic returns from their land without suffering a loss ot' the indigenous valuable herbal/medicinal flora. With this strategy, the comniunities could eat their cake and still have it. In OgwashiUkwu in Delta State, the Management of C.P.H.A has entered into an agreement with one community for prospecting of herbal/ medicinal materials from their bushes/groves. Under the agreement C.P.H.A pays the comi-nunity annual rent for the bushes/ groves (the rents are greater than what the community would have realized from cropping farmers). The community then protects the bushes/groves against any encroachment and fire. Even gathering fire wood is highly restricted.The members of the community participate in the procurement and harvesting of the medicinal materials, and they are paid according to their contributions. Some of them even learn the use of the herbs. The economic gains accruable to the community in general and to the individual members in particular, sustain the interest of the members in preserving the bushes and groves. The Centre benefits immensely from this arrangement. The Centre sources medicinal raw materials for the management of infertility, impotency, stroke and mental cases from these plots. Medicinal plants such, Eugenia caryophyllus and Moringa oleifera are threatened with extinction, but as their medicinal value is recognized they are given a chance to multiply. C.P.H.A has access to bushes/groves at Otutu in Abia State under a similar agreement. From here, the Centre obtains medicinal materials for treatment of diabetes, hypertension, hemorrhoid, and bleeding. At Awka in Anambra State, the Centre has a botanical garden which serves as a base for nurturing some species that are difficult to obtain. Through this approach the Centre helps to ensure:

Many of the drugs produced by the Centre owe the availability of Cl-Lide iiiiterials for manufacturing to this strategy.

PROBLEMS OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Biodiversity conservation is land-intensive, and land is one resource that his coiiipctiii(, uses. To raise peoples awareness to the level of viewin(, reservation of land for purpose of biodiversity conservation requires extensive enlightenment and education. People have strong and sentimental attachments to land to the extent that they see every move towards the land as a way of trying to dispossess them of the land. So negotiation for land is a sensitive matter that must be approached with caution. People are reluctant to lend or donate land for a long period of time. This discourages the party utilizing the land for short periods to invest in the land.

SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

People interested in biodiversity conservation and development should settle down for outright sales/ownership of land meant for that purpose. This will encourage investment on the land and encourage development. Another alternative is for both parties, i.e. the community and the biodiversity prospector, to enter into partnership for joint ownership. This would ensure protection of the groves.

Ecology, Cultural Transition and Human Health A Pre-Congress Field Course

-Tom Carlson, M.D.

The field course Ecology, Cultural Transition, and Human Health was conducted in August, 1996 in Kenya and Tanzania prior to the International Society of Ethnobiology Congress. The course objectives were:

The course was funded ointly by Shaman Pharmaceuticals and UNESCO. The instructors were Dr. Tiin Johns, Professor of Nutrition, McGill University, Canada. Dr. Tom Carlson, Senior Director, Ethnobiomedical Field Research, Shaman Pharmaceuticals. USA, Dr. Eloise Anti Berlin, Professor of Anthropology, University of Georaia, USA. Dr. Deborah Kioy, Pharmacologist KEMRI, Nairobi, Kenya coordinated many of the activities. The study sites were Massai communities where Dr. Tiiii Johns has conducted ethnobotanical research for the past ten years. These coi-nmunities were in three regions.

1. semiarid savanna areas of the Rift valley in Kajiado District of southern Kenya

2. upland savanna forests and Serengeti ecosystems of the Narak District of southern Kenya.

3. Loliondo Division in northern Tanzania

Attending, the course were twelve scientists from Kenya, three from Tanzania, one from Madagascar and two from India. These scientists were trained in a variety of disciplines including botany, ecology, ethnobotany, anthropology, sociology, phan-nacology, public health and medicine. The first day of the course consist of lectures and discussions on a variety of topics relating to ecology, cultural change, and health. The next eight days were spent in the field in discussions with Massai people, workers at modern medicine and public health clinics, and members of community based development projects. The diverse array of perspectives represented by course participants and the Massai community members were very valuable as we observed, discussed, and analyzed the complex web of interrelationships with ecology, cultural change and the health of the people. These exercises reinforced the importance of having social scientists, biological scientists, and medical scientists working together synergistically to be able to understand this highly complex cluster of issues.

Over the last 20-30 years the Maasai culture has transitioned from a migratory to a more sedentary agrarian-migratory lifestyle. Additional changes reported by Maasai community members are as follows:

- reduction in the use of traditional botanical medicine-,,

- changes in their traditional diets e.g. reduced consumption of traditional soups which contain numerous medicinal plants; - increased rates of certain diseases e.g. brucellosis, and malaria and infant pneumonia-, - reduced duration of breast feeding ,ind reduced birth spacing.

The course participants had the opportunity to work closely with the following Maasai community members: Charles Ole Saitabau and Joyce Nasieku from the Loita Hills ethnobotany project in Narak District in Kenya; and Parkipuny Monige and Jacob Ole Toroge from the Loliondo Indigenous Knowledge Project in northern Tanzania. They warmly invited the course participants into their communities and facilitated experiences that illuminated our understanding of these complex issues of culture, biology, and human health. These four Massai community members were also sponsored by Shaman Pharmaceuticals to attend the International Society of Ethnobiolo-y Con-ress in Nairobi. Charles Ole Saitabau and Joyce Nasieku presented papers at the conference reporting some of the findings of course research in their communities. Communication and collaboration will continue between these Maasai communities, course instructors and participants. A comprehensive packet of articles on issues related to culture, biology and human health were provided to all the communities that were visited. A formal written report of course observations, findings and recommendations will be sent to all the communities.

The Decline of Traditional Medicine in Zambia

Dr. Stains Masiye Ziba

This paper will discuss why much of Traditional medicine was not developed and preserved during the colonial era, and what should be done to improve the situation.

Historical Background:

From time immemorial, Traditional medicine was predominant in Zambia like many other parts of Africa. People relied on it for ages and only recently has its frequency of use been surpassed by orthodox medicine. Despite this fact, Traditional medicine still plays an important role in Africa and Asia. In most cases, it is the first medicine to be administered on patients, especially in areas that are far away from modem hospital facilities. Most people in rural areas depend on this kind of medicine, since it is readilv available in their villages.

An estimated three quarters of the villages in Africa have some Traditional healers. It is only when medical situations become critical that patients are transferred to hospitals.

Colonial Effect on Traditional Medicine:

Inhibiting the development and legalization of Traditional medicine was a deliberate move planned by the colonial governments. Reasons behind this movement were:

I. Political - the colonial government looked at Africans as primitive people who should not be given a chance to demonstrate some craft knowledge.

II. Economical - colonialist had foreseen the industrial development that was to come in Europe and that there was a need to create markets in their colonies where finished goods or products including medicine could be

II. Social - they wanted people in their colonies to remain inferior in all aspects of life.

IV. Scientific - they were aware that the development of Traditional medicine involved some science among the primitive approach. They feared that if left to develop with the Africans, it would excel and develop quality drugs that would be better than their own.

Christian Influence:

Based on the previous reasons, laws were enacted to bar Africans from practicing freely and openly. The colonialist also insinuated that every herbalist was a witch doctor - a name which was highly misinterpreted by most Christian advocates. Christians stopped their followers from going to witch doctors claimin- it was against God's will.

Due to these restrictions, Traditional medicine became unpopular with most of the educated class and the Christians in Africa. Brain washing by the colonialist made us loose sight of the fact that modern medicine was developed from the vary plants, roots and flowers that the traditional healers used.

Independence and Promotion of T/Medicine:

Since Zambia's independence, most of the ideas imposed on us about the inferiority of Traditional medicine and the superiority of modern medicine are now coming to light as false. It is apparent that they resulted from selfish goals aimed at keeping us in the dark. Today we are witnessing the renaissance of Traditional medicine in all parts of the world and its undoubted superiority to some extent. Now that we want to promote the development and usage of Traditional medicine, it would be best to also promote and recommend how Traditional medicine can complement modern medicine. This would enhance mutual trust and confidence between Traditional healers and modem doctors which would finally bring about quick and successful curative results.

Economical Advantages of Promoting Traditional Medicine:

Economically, the development of Traditional medicine could potentially reduce the amount of money governments spend on the importation of orthodox drugs. If some of the traditional medicines could be standardised they may replace some of the drugs ordered from other countries.

Creating a Retrieval Database for T/Medicine:

Development of a database of Traditional medicine is very crucial. It is important that records be kept and maintained for Traditional medicine so it may be continued. Much has been lost with our ancestors and will never be regained. Now that we are knowledgeable, it is imperative to promote the idea of record keeping for all Traditional medicine and its usage. This will also help future generations. It may also be necessary to create botanical cardens to avoid the extinction of some of the most needed medicinal plants.

Effects of Belief on Traditional Medicine:

Much of the discovery of Traditional medicine is accredited to the spiritual being. That is why much of the practice of traditional healing systems have Dos and Don'ts or are accompanied by taboos. Even thou-h they are very difficult ideas and experiences to quantify, they still have some influence on the performance of certain medicines. If these are not honored, negative results will be obtained.

Promotion Partnerships with Traditional Healers:

It is worthwhile to promote integrating the work of traditional healers and scientists because:lt would encourage the development of standardized drugs from herbal products.

Drugs that are predominant in one part of the country would be made more widely available.

Partnerships have also been promoted by the government especially in the field of Traditional birth attendants who work hand in hand with health centers found throughout the country.

Training of Traditional Healers:

Training Traditional healers in legal aspects and code of conduct is very important. Leaders of healers associations have been tasked to travel around the country to register and educate Traditional healers on the code of conduct regarding to their work. There are educational seminars run on regional basis. The registers formed will enable the government to know how many healers are in the country and what their special fields of treatment are.

Research Programs:

Appeals have been made to individuals and institutions regarding research and the development and standardization of herbal remedies in Zambia. But no success has been made in this area.

Healing and the Eye of Understanding

The Bioresources Development and Conservation Pro-ramme is holding an international conference on African Traditional Medicine. This conference emanated out of the mutually shared need for increased attention and research into new developments in the field of African medical studies. The health benefits and policy implications of the awareness of Traditional African medicine are monumental. Vast numbers of gigantic public health projects in Africa are engineered with no provision for the incorporation of local knowledge in the treatment of local illnesses.

The conference entitled Healing and The Eye of Understanding: Bringing African Traditional Medicine and

Healing to the World is scheduled for October 20, 1998 and has the primary objective to raise the awareness and understanding of African Traditional Medicine and the act of healing in relation to primary health care and emerging diseases. The African Traditional Medicine has often been viewed as an adversary and sometimes a threat to the health care community. It is our hope that this conference will bring us a step forward towards viewing African medicine as an integral part of the community health system.

The congress will consist of lecture series from academia, industries and traditional medical practitioners. There will be a concurrent exhibit entitled Festival of Living Cultures that will include an exhibition of cultures, divination and healing practices froi allpartsofAfi-ica.Preliniinarythemesforthecongressare:

- Philosophy and practice of African Traditional Medicine

- Divination and ways of knowledge - African Medicinal Plants and Emer-ing Infectious Diseases and AIDS

- Nutraceuticals - An age-long health practice

- Biodiversity conservation of extinct medicinal plants in Africa -Ethical and Policy issues of bioprospecting.

We believe that this conference will afford our generation a practical opportunity to arrive at more prudent and useful ways of dealino with medical problems clinically and socially.

Traditional African Medicine has not only achieved successful results, but presents a medical system through which a vast majority of people will be reached.

For more information on this conference. look out for our Februarv Edition - don't miss it!

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