Assessment of Environmental Impact on Sustainability of Traditional – Medicine Practice in Nigeria (original) (raw)

12th annual APRU Global Health Conference with the theme “Planetary Health – The Next Frontier" At: Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2018

Abstract

With about 80% of people in developing countries relying on ethno medicines to maintain their livelihood, traditional medicine practices (TMP) have been reported to provide health care for over half of the world’s population. Practitioners of TMP largely rely on knowledge base on local plants and herbs, as well as spiritual beliefs that has been developed over centuries. Although, this knowledge base is known to vary according to geographical environments and cultures, changes in the environment pose a great threat to TMP. Thus, understanding how this challenge impacts on sustainability of TMP in local communities is desirable in providing useful data that could be used to preserve the much-needed knowledge base required for TMP. In this study, we aim to assess, from the Practitioners’ point of view, the impact of climate change on TMP in Nigeria and make recommendations that will be useful in assuring sustainable supply of ethno medicines. Through assigned coordinators from universities domiciled in 6 geopolitical regions of the country, 1200 structured questionnaire were administered to indigenous practitioners (with > 20 years’ experience) in local communities….. Although the study is still ongoing, preliminary findings have identified “rural-to-urban drift of people as well as practioners”, “disrupted ecosystems” and “damaged natural environment” as climate-linked factors that affect cultivation of medicinal plants as well as passage of important medicinal information from generation to generation……

Muhammad B . Muhammad hasn't uploaded this document.

Let Muhammad know you want this document to be uploaded.

Ask for this document to be uploaded.