Ethnomedicines and Health Management in Kenya: Which Way Forward?

Abstract

Ethnic diversity and ethnosystematics have gradually evolved to give rise to unique cultures and ethnomedical practices and systems that have withstood the test of time worldwide. An estimated 70% of Kenyans rely on ethnomedicines as the only source of healthcare, with up to 90% using medicinal plants and animals as part of any treatment process. WHO estimates that as many as 70-95 % of the world’s people especially in developing countries rely on ethnomedicines for their primary healthcare needs and henceforth its recommendation in the Alma-Ata Declaration adopted by WHO and UNICEF in 1978 for its integration into primary healthcare systems, particularly of developing countries if the objective of the “Health for All by the Year 2000” was to be realized [1]. While about 100 million people use ethnomedicines in the European Union (EU) alone while more than one third of Americans and Europeans use assorted herbs for healthcare purposes, spending over £7.0 billion annually. On other hand, 1.5 billion people use Chinese Tradition Medicine worldwide and most modern conventional drugs have their origin of use and application deeply rooted in ethnomedicines. There is need therefore to understand the holistic nature of ethnomedicines so that it can be easily utilized and applied. This overview focuses on the composition and understanding of ethnomedicines, its historical development in Kenya, its challenges and finally suggests a way forward of unlocking its potential together with anticipated benefits. An illustrated example of unlocking potential of ethnomedicines is briefly given for Maasai Mara University with reference to its African Medicinal Botanical Garden under development.