Abstract
This article illustrates a design approach for capturing, storing, indexing, and search of African traditional herbal medicine (ATHMed) framed on a hybrid-based knowledge model for efficient preservation and retrieval. By the hybrid approach, the framework was developed to include both the use of machine learning and ontology-based techniques. The search pattern considers ontology design and machine learning techniques for extracting ATHMed data. The framework operates on a semantically annotated corpus and delivers a contextual and multi-word search pattern against its knowledge base. In line with design science research, preliminary data were collected in this study, and a proposed strategy was developed toward processing, storing and retrieving data. While reviewing literature and interview data to reflect on the existing challenges, these findings suggest the need for a system with the capability of retrieving and archiving ATHMed in Ghana. This study contributes to SDG 3 by providing a model and conceptualizing the implementation of ATHMed. We, therefore, envision that the framework will be adopted by relevant stakeholders for the implementation of efficient systems for archival and retrieval of ATHMed.
Highlights
Countries worldwide are striving to promote good health and wellbeing for their citizens
The relevance of knowledge preservation cannot be downplayed as it holds strategic influence on the growth, sustenance, and competitive advantage of any environment, organization, or people for that matter (Davenport and Prusak, 1998; Xue, 2017) steps to mitigate and possibly correct the challenge bedeviling the practice of proper documentation associated with African traditional herbal medicine (ATHMed) appropriate strategies are necessary to salvage the situation
This attempt assists in documenting and preserving practices and medications associated with African traditional herbal medicines which hitherto was in the domain of the practitioner. Failure to undertake such interventions would, in the end, lead to loss of these indigenous yet efficient medicinal approaches (Boadu and Asase, 2017). It is for this call that we proposed this framework, targeted at providing a knowledge-based system for the efficient, sustainable approach to safeguarding ATHMed knowledge to a more explicit form
Summary
Countries worldwide are striving to promote good health and wellbeing for their citizens. Amoah et al (2014) indicate that herbal practitioners often poorly communicate and hardly document their knowledge resulting in knowledge failing to be developed or maturing into an accepted treatment, practice or medication, or that knowledge is eventually lost This approach to knowledge transfer is deemed to be tacit, as it consists of the ideas, experiences and skill set possessed by a person which is often difficult to access and transfer The relevance of knowledge preservation cannot be downplayed as it holds strategic influence on the growth, sustenance, and competitive advantage of any environment, organization, or people for that matter (Davenport and Prusak, 1998; Xue, 2017) steps to mitigate and possibly correct the challenge bedeviling the practice of proper documentation associated with ATHMed appropriate strategies are necessary to salvage the situation. There have been many calls seeking to improve and formalize the practice of proper preparation and preservation of such practices (WHO, 2019)
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