When Covid 19 came, everyone was caught unaware.
Here was a new virus no-one seemed to know anything about. We were all operating on assumptions and very little knowledge.
What was apparent was that the disease was spreading fast. It seemed like the virus could get to everyone including those who followed all the guidelines.
So prevention became the best solution. Somehow, the bug seemed to stay away from those who used herbs.
Suddenly, everyone became a doctor or herbalist!
Remember zumbani?
The wonder herb which became the saving grace during that period.
It became the preventive therapy and everyone was looking for it. Some made a lot of money from selling it.
At some point l was convinced that the herb would become extinct, because there was such a scramble for the shrub which was believed could prevent, heal and relieve symptoms of Covid-19 all in one go.
Not only was it ingested as a tea, it was inhaled (kunatira), it was used to bath as a disinfectant and some even chewed on the leaves.
While studies have shown that zumbani actually has medicinal properties, there is still a lot people need to know about it; for instance, the correct dosage when using it to self-medicate.
Back then people did not care about the dosage. All they wanted was to be safe. People would take as much as their bodies could tolerate.
Now, this issue of self-medication did not start with zumbani and Covid-19.
As Africans, or let me say as Zimbabweans, we have always had our traditional medicine system.
Even our elders believed that traditional herbs and medicines could cure all ailments. They would only visit the clinic when all else failed.
Zumbani, ginger, garlic, aloe vera, tamarind, moringa, chifumuro, the leaves of matohwe (snot apple), avocado, gum tree, pawpaw and any other tree leaves with edible fruit. The list is endless.
The new craze is the mumvee (kigelia africana/ sausage tree) which seems to heal everything from cancer to hypertension and diabetes.
While these herbs have medicinal properties, there is a lot of guesswork when it comes to how they work in our bodies and in what quantities they become effective.
But that will not stop people.
Many will continue to self-medicate for almost any illness.
People choose herbal medicine because of different personal reasons. For instance, some herb users believe that the efficacy of herbs is more than or equal to the standard treatment from doctors. And the cost is lower.
They say herbs have less adverse effects.
But there are some who just do not like hospitals and would rather self-medicate until they heal or are taken to a facility at the last possible minute. Usually it would already be too late.
But with the alarming rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide, it is worrying that many people still seek alternative medicines to deal with diseases.
Hypertension has become one of the most common conditions worldwide and is a risk factor for other non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular diseases.
It is estimated that there are more than 1 billion people around the world with hypertension, with the majority of those living in low-middle income countries.
Studies have shown that more than a third of adults with hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa use traditional herbal medicines. Furthermore, nearly half of these people use traditional medicines concurrently with conventional medicine.
It was revealed that while hypertension is increasingly common in the region, the rates of hypertension control are low.
This is attributed to the use of traditional herbal medicines which may affect hypertension therapy.
In Zimbabwe, about 1.2 million people are on treatment for hypertension and there is a growing population of people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
The same is happening with other non-communicable diseases.
According to Ministry of Health and Child Care acting director NCDs, Dr Justice Mudavanhu: "We have seen a rise in the number of diseases in the country in the last decades. And we project that in the next few decades, NCDs will be the largest disease-based burden in the country."
But with the high number of people preferring herbal treatments, could there be a possibility that more people are dying as a result of NCDs than are being recorded?
After all, NCDs are silent killers.
While the use of herbs and other traditional medicines has been there since time immemorial, there is need to understand that the way they are being used now is different from how they were used back then.
Even the diseases they are treating have evolved. So it is likely that the treatments need to be adjusted accordingly.
But why?
When combined with prescription medications, herbal remedies can cause dangerous drug interactions, according to experts.
These interactions can interfere with the effectiveness of prescribed treatments or lead to adverse side effects.
Self-medication can also lead to misdiagnosis of NCDs, as individuals may delay seeking professional medical attention.
This can have severe consequences, particularly for conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, which require timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Mudavanhu said there is a need to raise awareness about NCDs and the ways people can prevent them.
"For prevention, there are things that you and I can do to prevent diseases like hypertension. For example, a healthy diet, eating food that is low in salt and fats will help. But when you go to a clinician when you have hypertension, you need to stick to the treatment regime that they give you. It depends on the stage you are with hypertension, but mostly you need to have pharmacological treatment.
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"Yes, I know people can say you can use avocados, you can use ginger, you can use all this, but it has to come from a registered clinician who really understands all that. Too much of everything can also be a risk. So you need to be wise, you need to do it from an informed decision by a clinician," said Dr Mudavanhu.
So it seems that while self-medication can provide temporary relief from symptoms, it may fail to address the underlying cause of the NCD. This can lead to the progression of the disease and more serious health complications.
Without proper research, it is impossible to determine the appropriate dosage for our herbs, the potential side effects, or interactions with other medications.
Researchers should continue to work towards proving how these traditional medicines work.
With the rise in anti-microbial resistance to drugs owing to overuse, there is a definite need for new medicines that can treat diseases. And our traditional herbs could be it.
As we wait for that to happen, we need to be careful how we use them. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to our health.
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