Alternative and complementary medicine is quite popular among people living with HIV. For example, around a half of HIV positive Americans report recent use.1 Many HIV positive people say they feel better after using alternative and complementary medicine, and it is likely that some of these treatments are indeed beneficial, although unproven according to conventional Western medicine.
What are alternative and complementary medicines?
Alternative and complementary medicine is the name generally given to those medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional Western medicine. Well known examples include herbal and other nutritional supplements, acupuncture, aromatherapy and homeopathy.
- Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine
- Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine.
The more ancient forms of complementary and alternative medicine are also known as traditional medicine.
What are these therapies used for?
Aromatherapy blends
In relation to HIV, alternative therapies are most commonly used in areas where it is difficult to access Western medicine. In the absence of antiretroviral treatment, people seek other ways to delay the onset of AIDS, or to treat opportunistic infections. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, traditional healers outnumber medically qualified doctors eighty-to-one.2 Traditional healers also usually provide immediate treatment, whereas clinics may have lengthy waiting lists and tests for eligibility.
Most people living with HIV in developed countries have ready access to antiretroviral therapy and conventional treatments for opportunistic infections. Because these treatments are so effective, there is less demand for alternative HIV medicine, except perhaps for addressing relatively minor infections, or when antiretroviral treatment cannot any longer be taken, for example because of drug resistance. Many instead look to complementary medicine as a way to prevent or relieve aids treatment side effects, some of which are not easily treatable with conventional medicine. There is also demand for complementary therapies that might boost immunity, relieve stress, or improve general health and wellbeing.
The people who distrust and avoid Western medicine for HIV include not only individuals, but also some governments. For example, senior politicians in South Africa have promoted unproven therapies while at times disparaging antiretroviral drugs. In Gambia, the president himself has treated patients with a herbal mixture he claims is an AIDS.
Do alternative and complementary therapies for HIV and AIDS work?
Western medicine embraces all approaches shown to be safe and effective in rigorous scientific trials. By definition, complementary and alternative medicine consists of therapies that are unproven, at least by the standards of Western medicine. Given the many therapies in existence, there can be little doubt that some of them do what they are supposed to. Many others are likely to be ineffective or can even be harmful. In the absence of good scientific trials, it is impossible to be certain which is which.
Acupuncture
Still it can be argued that, from a scientific point of view, some things are more likely to work than others. Acupuncture, for example, appears to alter brain activity,3 and there is quite good evidence that it can help relieve post-operative nausea.4 5 Herbal medicines, too, are scientifically plausible: some 25% of modern drugs were derived from plants first used traditionally.6 Scientists have already identified one plant extract that acts like an antiretroviral drug;7 it is entirely possible that there are others.
At the other end of the scale are therapies that seem to defy the known laws of science. The most notorious of these is homeopathy, which few scientists see as credible and the World Health Organization recommends should not be used to treat HIV.8 Homeopathic remedies are so diluted that none of the active ingredient remains.
Yet even if a medicine has no specific effects on an illness, this doesn’t necessarily mean it is worse than nothing. It is widely accepted that patients’ beliefs about a treatment, and the quality of the doctor-patient relationship, can influence health outcomes. This is what is known as the placebo effect. For example, one trial9 divided irritable bowel syndrome sufferers into three groups: the first received no treatment, the second underwent sham acupuncture (placebo), and the third got fake acupuncture plus a 45-minute consultation with a friendly doctor. The proportions of patients reporting moderate or substantial improvement were 3% (no treatment), 20% (placebo only) and 37% (placebo plus interaction). This effect may well account for some of the reported benefits of alternative and complementary medicine, as suggested in an editorial that accompanied the study:
“Is it possible that the alternative medical community has tended historically to understand something important about the experience of illness and the ritual of doctor-patient interactions that the rest of medicine might do well to hear? … The meanings and expectations created by the interactions of doctors and patients matter physically, not just subjectively.” 10
Even if it fails to ease symptoms, the treatment experience may have non-specific effects such as boosting self-confidence and relieving anxiety. Group therapies – such as yoga – are particularly good for meeting new people, who may be able to share knowledge of other treatment options.
Why is there such a lack of evidence?
Supporters of complementary and alternative medicine propose a number of reasons why their therapies have not been subjected to thorough testing. For one thing, major medical trials are highly expensive; if there is no prospect of a patent then there is less of an incentive to invest in research. Reliable, ethical trials also require a considerable amount of expertise. Many scientists with the necessary skills are reluctant to investigate therapies they think are implausible.
Yet it is misleading to suggest that no research takes place. The US government has an agency (NCCAM) dedicated to complementary and alternative medicine, and in 2008 allocated nearly $300 million to this field (around 1% of all federal funding for medical research). Potential HIV therapies investigated in government-sponsored trials include acupuncture, yoga, Reiki and distant healing.11
Although practioners of complementary and alternative medicine generally voice support for scientific research, they are often unwilling to accept negative findings. In 2005, medical journal The Lancet published the most thorough review of homeopathy trials ever conducted.12 Having analysed more than one hundred trials related to a wide range of illnesses, the authors concluded,
“there was no convincing evidence that homeopathy was superior to placebo.”
Homeopaths united in objecting to the methodology of both the trials and the review. 13 Some even suggested that placebo-controlled randomised trials (regarded as the gold-standard of medical science) were inappropriate for testing their system of healing.14
Potential for harm
Some forms of complementary and alternative medicine can cause harmful side effects. Words like “natural” and “traditional” are certainly no guarantee of safety.
Herbal or nutritional therapies (notably St John’s Wort) may also interact with other medications, making them less effective or worsening their side effects.
In general, herbal remedies and dietary supplements are not covered by the strict regulations that govern pharmaceutical drugs. Quality is inconsistent even among popular commercial formulations; tests have shown that the concentrations of active ingredients can vary greatly from the amounts listed on the packaging.15
The standard of complementary and alternative practioners is similarly uneven. Although some countries regulate certain types of practioners (such as osteopaths in the US and UK), many people practise without any formal qualifications.
Even if a therapy carries little risk of direct physical harm, it may still turn out to be a waste of time and money. Relying on alternative medicine instead of scientifically proven treatment can have very serious consequences. Once HIV has severely weakened the immune system, antiretroviral drugs are less likely to be life-saving.
Advice for those seeking complementary medicine
HIV positive people have a long history of taking control of their own healthcare decision-making. Those interested in complementary medicine can take steps to maximise their chances of success.
The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) suggests ten questions for assessing a new therapy:16
- What am I hoping to get out of this therapy?
- Do other HIV positive people use it?
- Am I able to talk to any of these other people about their experiences?
- Is there any research or additional information about this therapy?
- What are the side effects, if any?
- What sort of commitment do I have to make to use this treatment?
- Where can I get this treatment, and will it be regularly available?
- How much of this treatment is too much and what are the early signs of taking too much?
- Does this treatment interact with anything else I’m taking?
- How much does it cost?
Careful research is needed to answer these questions. Good sources of information include reference books on complementary medicine (available in many libraries), medical journals (which can be searched using the PubMed website), and the publications of reputable health organisations. Many AIDS organisations and other bodies, including NCCAM, will answer enquiries over the phone or online.
As already discussed, all forms of complementary medicine are unproven; each individual must make their own assessment of likely risks and benefits based on the available data. The most reliable evidence comes from large human trials – preferably randomised trials in which the treatment is compared to a placebo. Personal testimonies and laboratory findings should be given less weight, especially if they appear only in promotional material. Anyone who makes sensational claims (such as being able to many unrelated diseases with a single therapy), or who attacks conventional treatment, is probably a quack and best avoided.
If you have done your research and wish to try a complementary therapy, the next step is to talk to your personal doctor or HIV specialist. This is important because there may be a risk of interactions with other medications.
Some medical doctors have received training in complementary medicine. If your doctor lacks such expertise then it may be sensible to also find a complementary practioner, ideally one with experience in treating people with HIV. Help finding a practioner may be obtained from your doctor, an AIDS service organisation, or a professional body such as the Institute for Complementary Medicine in the UK, or the American Holistic Medical Association in the US. There are many practioners available; it is worth taking the time to find one you trust and feel comfortable with. Look for experience, qualifications and references you can verify.
When purchasing a herbal medicine or nutritional supplement, try to choose a reputable seller and manufacturer. Large, long-established companies are generally the most trustworthy because they have more to lose from selling poor quality goods. If possible, look for a company that submits its products for independent quality testing.
Having started a new treatment, it is a good idea to keep a diary of your symptoms. This will help you assess whether the therapy is having the desired outcome, or whether it may be causing unwanted side effects.
List of common complementary and alternative therapies
Complementary and alternative therapies can be divided into five main categories. The list below contains a few of the most popular examples.
Whole medical systems
- Naturopathic medicine (mostly practised in the West; includes diet modification, herbal medicine, acupuncture and massage)
- Traditional Chinese medicine (includes herbal medicine, acupuncture and massage)
- Ayurveda (ancient Indian healing system; includes diet modification, herbal medicine, cleansing therapies, massage, meditation and yoga)
- Homeopathy (most commonly prescribes extremely diluted solutions of natural substances)
Mind-body medicine
- Relaxation techniques, meditation and visualization
- Spirituality and prayer
- Yoga (may incorporate spirituality, meditation and body postures)
- Tai Chi (a Chinese martial art incorporating meditation and breathing exercises)
- Qi gong (includes meditation, body postures and breathing exercises)
- Aromatherapy (uses remedies derived from plants that are inhaled, applied to the skin or used internally)
Biologically based practices
- Vitamins and minerals
- Herbal remedies
- Animal-derived extracts
- Prebiotics and probiotics (aim to encourage the growth of beneficial microbes)
Manipulative and body-based practices
- Massage
- Chiropractic (invented in America; manipulates the spine)
- Osteopathy (invented in America; manipulates the spine, joints and muscles; American osteopathic physicians are also trained in conventional medicine)
- Shiatsu (traditional form of Japanese massage therapy)
- Reflexology (invented in America; applies pressure to the feet, hands or ears)
- Rolfing (named after American Ida Pauline Rolf; manipulates soft tissue)
Energy medicine
- Acupuncture (involves inserting fine needles into the body)
- Reiki (practioners claim to channel healing energy through their palms)
- Therapeutic touch and distant healing (practioners claim to manipulate energy “biofields” with their hands)
- Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies (involve unconventional use of sound, light, magnetism, and other forms of electromagnetic radiation)
African traditional healers and HIV
Traditional medicine for sale in Malawi
Sub-Saharan Africa is the region worst affected by AIDS; it is also a region in which most people turn first to traditional healers when they fall ill. There is potential for traditional healers to play an important role in responding to the epidemic.
Although few have been scientifically tested, there can be little doubt that some of the remedies given by traditional healers are effective in treating HIV-related opportunistic infections and drug side effects. However, in common with all forms of medicine, these therapies may also do harm through side effects, drug interactions, or delaying use of conventional treatment. In addition, the reuse of implements for rituals such as scarification, tattooing and circumcision can transmit infections, including HIV. Some African healers blame illness on witchcraft, which can lead to ostracism of those accused.
Collaboration between traditional healers and Western doctors has the potential to improve safety, for example by encouraging better hygiene. Training can also assist traditional healers in identifying illnesses beyond their capacity to treat, hastening referral to a clinic when necessary.
Traditional healers are respected within their communities, and know how to convey health information in a culturally appropriate manner. They are ideally placed to teach HIV prevention, distribute condoms, conduct counselling, encourage HIV testing, and set up support groups for affected people.
Yet although traditional healers are generally eager to learn from other health workers, experience has shown it is not easy to establish successful collaboration.17 Traditional theories of disease causation are very different to those of Western science. Traditional healers – suppressed during the colonial era, and often demonised in the media – are understandably suspicious of authority. Many are reluctant to reveal details of their remedies for fear that their ideas will be stolen. Likewise, conventional doctors are inclined to be prejudiced against treatments that lack scientific foundation. These are not the only difficulties:
“How can healers give their clients a diagnosis of AIDS when it means possibly losing their business? How can a traditional healer – the traditional advocate of a clan’s fertility – counsel an HIV-positive woman who wants to have a child? And how can a traditional healer turn away a sick patient who has become dependent on his or her care and support?” 18
It may take months or even years to establish mutual trust, confidence and respect. Success depends on being sensitive to the local context, and cooperation must be on equal terms, regardless of level of education. Rather than trying to change traditional belief systems, research has shown it is better to stress what is common to both forms of medicine, and to establish a common language.19
The best way to maximise the reach of training is to first identify and train a group of the most influential and respected healers, who can each then train many others. This method, however, requires ongoing support if it is to be sustainable.20
Despite the challenges, a number of organisations – such as THETA in Uganda and TAWG in Tanzania – have demonstrated the benefits of collaborating with traditional healers in HIV prevention and care.21 Much could be gained from replicating these programmes more widely.
Breaking the silence around traditional medicine for HIV/AIDS prevention and care.
Rwomushana J; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. ThOrD784.
J.Rwomushana, Uganda AIDS Commission, PO Box 10779, Kampala, Uganda, Tel.: +256 7740 9001, Fax: +256 41 258 173, E-mail: runakuy@hotmail.com
Issue: Traditional Medicine has proven to be beneficial for HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support. Stigma, myth and mystery, however, are hindering progress in the use and development of traditional practices. This is well illustrated in collaboration programmes with modern health practioners. Description: Traditional Healers (TH) in Uganda came out openly to contribute to the national struggle against HIV/AIDS. This was made possible by the Governments policy of openness about the epidemic. Through mutual education and training, Traditional Healers have been successfully involved in HIV/AIDS prevention through community mobilization, care, counseling, social support and research. They are encouraged to use their own traditional approaches and methods. Collaboration, rather than integration, strategies are applied in joint interventions. Conclusions: Reduction of secrecy through open collaboration has increased access to the potential advantages of Traditional Medicine. Field workers and patients can better understand the effects of traditional herbal drugs and psychosocial support offered by the cultural system. Ugandas experiences could be widely shared.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Counseling
- Delivery of Health Care
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Health Personnel
- Health Services
- Humans
- Medicine, Traditional
- Uganda
- education
Other ID: GWAIDS0004555
UI: 102242052
From Meeting Abstracts
Traditional medicine for HIV to go on trial
Carol Campbell
4 September 2007
The seeds of
Sutherlandia frutescens
USDA/Tracey Slotta
Clinical trials to test a traditional medicine's effectiveness in delaying the onset of AIDS in HIV-positive patients will begin in South Africa within weeks, according to researchers.
Approximately 125 HIV-positive patients at Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal province will take part in trials of the herb Sutherlandia frutescens, a well-known South African traditional medicine.
The purpose of the trial will be to test the safety and effectiveness of capsules of Sutherlandia in patients newly diagnosed with HIV.
The scientists announced their plans last week (28 August), saying the project will most likely begin this month, once the South African Medicines Control Council completes its final regulatory check. They expect to have results by August 2009.
The research will be conducted by the South African universities of KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, along with the Traditional Healers' Association of South Africa and the US-based University of Missouri.
Traditional healers use Sutherlandia frutescens, sometimes known as 'cancer bush', to treat a host of ailments from weight loss to aches and pains.
Sutherlandia has several active ingredients, said Quinton Johnson, one of the study researchers and director of the International Centre for Indigenous Phytotherapy Studies at the University of the Western Cape.
The plant contains pinitol (a compound with anti-diabetic properties), canavine (used by traditional healers to treat wasting diseases like tuberculosis) and the amino acid GABA, which produces a feeling of wellbeing.
Nceba Gqaleni, deputy dean of the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, said this was the first collaboration between scientists and traditional healers to assess the effectiveness of indigenous practices in treating such a serious health issue.
"This research will further the cause of traditional medicine, as well as assist scientific study"
Sazi Mhlongo, chairman of the Traditional Healers' Association of South Africa, told SciDev.Net that the plant is "the most powerful of our herbs, which we mix with other herbs to treat a lot of different problems".
Mhlongo, who has practised as a traditional healer in KwaZulu-Natal for 34 years, said traditional healers have become increasingly aware of the herb's success in treating HIV-positive patients. Patients who took it "felt better", he said.
Use of traditional medicine by HIV-infected individuals in South Africa.
Psychol Health Med. 2007 May;12(3):314-20.
Use of traditional medicine by HIV-infected individuals in South Africa in the era of antiretroviral therapy.
Babb DA, Pemba L, Seatlanyane P, Charalambous S, Churchyard GJ, Grant AD.
Clinical Research Unit, Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
As antiretroviral therapy (ART) becomes more available in African countries, the potential for interaction with traditional medicines becomes more important. We carried out a cross-sectional survey among individuals with moderate or advanced HIV disease attending a workplace clinic providing ART in South Africa to determine prevalence of traditional medicine use, source, recommended products and costs. Among 44 clinic attendees (100% male, median age 42 years, 30 taking ART), 37 (84%) reported ever using traditional medicines, 25 obtained from a healer or herbalist, eight from their own fields and four from a pharmacy. Fourteen of the 44 (32%) were currently using traditional medicines, most frequently African potato (9/14) and Aloe vera (3/14). Seven out of 30 persons taking ART (23%) reported currently using traditional medicines. Participants spent 4 - 27 pounds per month on traditional medicines. Traditional medicine use is common among individuals with moderate and advanced HIV disease. Concomitant use with ART has the potential for drug interactions and should be discussed routinely in ART counselling. Further work is warranted to investigate whether commonly used traditional medicines interact with ART in vivo.
PMID: 17510901 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
China offers herbal treatment for HIV/AIDS carriers
A test program to treat HIV/AIDS carriers with traditional Chinese medicine has seen preliminary clinical achievements. According to the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, since China launched the program last August, eleven provinces and municipalities in total have been included.
Compared with the Western-style drugs that may have many side effects and are too expensive, the cost for traditional Chinese medicine in HIV/AIDS treatment is relatively low and results in fewer side effects.
According to doctors, the herbal treatment aims to protect and raise patients' immunity, ease the symptoms so as to secure a better quality of life.
In contrast, the western style treatment aims to kill the virus. But so far there hasn't been any kind of medicine proved to be successful in doing that.
The test program of herbal treatment are part of China's ongoing campaign to help thousands of HIV/AIDS sufferers with the use of traditional Chinese medicine as a way to fight the fatal disease.
Liu Wenwu, an official with the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, says that the implementation of such test program looks smooth and promising.
"Since the national test program was launched in August 2004, about 2,700 AIDS patients in the five provinces of Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Hubei and Guangdong, have got help by June this year. What's more, we are adding 6 more provinces into our coverage this year," said Liu.
The central government has earmarked some 36 million Yuan, or more than 4.5 million US dollars, for the test program.
More than half of which cover the cost for the drugs and the rest will be used in the training and management of the medical staff.
HIV/AIDS carriers from the pilot areas who voluntarily participate in the program are receiving free treatment in test clinic bases established in those provinces.
The local government and hospitals will maintain the privacy of the volunteer patients and doctors will adopt different therapies to patients in accordance with their specific conditions.
Doctors say it is also possible to use the combination of western-style anti-virus drugs with traditional Chinese medicine.
According to Liu Wenwu, herbal treatment for HIV/AIDS carriers has seen fairly good clinical effects.
"Statistics show that herbal treatment for HIV/AIDS patients evidently help ease the common symptoms include diarrhea, vomit, weariness. Traditional Chinese medicine also effectively reduces those side effects of anti-virus drugs. Patients and their relatives welcome our treatment, which has enriched the clinic treatment for HIV/AIDS," said Liu.
Liu Wenwu added that in regards to the differences between western-style and Chinese traditional medicines, the evaluation standards of the two are different. Chinese traditional medicine experts are establishing a standardized evaluation system for curative effects, in an effort to scientifically carry out herbal treatment for HIV/AIDS.
Official statistics show China had 840,000 people infected with HIV by the end of 2003.
The World Health Organization reveals that over one-third of the population in developing countries lack access to essential medicine.
Since China has fully integrated traditional medicine into its health care systems, the provision of safe and effective traditional medicine therapies could become a critical tool to increase access to the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Herbal medicine and HIV/AIDS related skin diseases
It is evident that the campaign about the dreadful disease HIV/AIDS has reduced drastically, as it is rarely aired on the radios, televisions and published in newspapers. Maybe its immense former campaign which has brought about a decline in its prevalence rate in the country, according to statistics, has brought about the decline in its campaign presently. Previous campaigns have brought about a great impact in the sex lives of Ghanaians, and reduced the daily rate of infection, which was about 200 people per day.
It is true people are very vigilant about their sex life, but the lack of frequent campaigns and education about the disease's existence, will make people forget about it, hence living reckless lives. The sustenance of the lives affected people through antiretroviral treatment has gone a long way to give people the assurance that acquiring the virus is definitely not the end of one's life as it was earlier on assumed. The introduction of the antiretroviral treatment is a good thing, but the question is, how many people living with the virus are able to afford going through the antiretroviral treatment, since it is very expensive.
It is very sad that those who are not able afford the treatment, do not only go through the travails of losing weight, but as well go through the trauma of being exposed to various kinds of skin diseases. According to medical experts, HIV weakens the immune system, and as a result people with the infection suffer health problems, which include various kinds of skin diseases. In Ghana, and in many parts of the world, the use of herbal medicines to diseases is something that has been trusted for ages, and its use to treat HIV skin diseases is one thing that cannot be over emphasised. According to studies, about 90% of people living with HIV develop skin changes which are mostly as a result of the virus. Their weakened immune system makes them venerable to all kinds of skin diseases. Herbal medicine experts have thought it wise that the involvement herbal medicine in the treatment of HIV/AIDS related skin diseases will be of help to people living with the virus.
HIV/AIDS in Africa
According to statistics, people living with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa are about 22,000,000, and out of this figure, 12,000,000 are women and 1,800,000 children. In Ghana, about 260,000 are living with HIV/AIDS, 150,000 are women and 17,000. According to the statistics, Sub-Saharan Africa is more heavily affected by HIV and AIDS than any other region of the world. In 2007, around 1.5 million people died from AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 1.9 million people became infected with HIV. Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than eleven million children have been orphaned by AIDS. In the absence of massively expanded prevention, treatment and care efforts, it is expected that the AIDS death toll in Sub-Saharan Africa will continue to rise. This means the impact of the AIDS epidemic on societies will be felt most strongly in the course of the next ten years and beyond. The AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa threatens to devastate whole communities, rolling back decades of development progress.
Skin Conditions Linked to AIDS
According to webMD, psoriasis is one of the skin conditions associated with AIDS. It is a common skin disorder that produces thick, pink-to-red, itchy patches of skin, covered with silvery scales. The rash usually occurs on the scalp, elbows, knees and lower back, and in the same place on both sides of the body. It can also occur in fingernails. Psoriasis cannot bed, but treatment greatly reduces the signs, even in severe cases. Common treatments include steroid creams, vitamin D derivatives, and topical retinoids. These may also be used with ultraviolet light therapy for severe cases. For severe diseases, there are a number of effective therapies taken in pill form or by injection.
Shingles is another infection caused by the chicken pox virus. This virus remains dormant in the nerve cells of people who have had chicken pox, and can reactivate in the body later on, resulting in illness. Although shingles, like all other viral diseases, cannot bed, it usually will go away on its own, and may not require any treatment, except to control te symptoms. Doctors can prescribe antiviral medications to control the infection, and reduce the severity and duration of the disease.
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a form of cancer that occurs on the skin, and in mucous membranes. It occurs among people who have HIV/AIDS. KS appears as purplish lesions on the skin. Because of the weakened immune system caused by AIDS, KS can spread quickly to other parts of the body, including organs. KS can be treated with surgery. Chemotherapy is a treatment that kills the cancerous cells using the body's own resources to boost the immune system.
Herbal medicine and HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS, which is considered an incurable disease, has compelled many herbal medicine healers to try their possible best to come out with a treatment/cure for the disease. The frequent claim by people of having a herbal for the disease resulted in an assessment of herbal remedies from chosen healers on some individuals with HIV/AIDS in 1999 by the Ministry of Health (MOH) the Center for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM) Noguchi Memorial Research Institute, the Komfo Anokye Hospital and the St. Dominic Hospital, which in the end proved some herbal curatives to be of good quality, which have helped people with the virus to improve their health conditions.
Challenges of herbal medicine healers
According to Mr. Kojo Odum Eduful, First Vice President of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (GHAFRAM), herbal medicine healers/practitioners are willing to help people living with the virus, which has resulted in all kinds of skin diseases. So far healers are knowledgeable about the fact that herbs such as aloe vera, phyllanthus officinalis, allium sativum,garcinia kola, xylopia aethipica, cryptolepis sanguinolenta, azdiracta indica, cola nitida, cassia alata, fruits and vegetable of high nutritional value are some of the useful medicinal plants in the management of HIV/AIDS. These plants according, to him, have anti-viral and anti-microbial activities which help in fighting HIV skin diseases.
He said these healers were knowledgeable about herbal medicines that can help treat skin diseases of people with the virus, but the present situation at hand does not allow them to progress in the introduction of these herbal medicines to the public. The challenges they are facing, in terms of finance, prevent them from doing research work to go the extra mile to produce results. The initiative of these herbal healers/practitioners to help people with the virus, will come to a reality, if they are given financial support, either from philanthropists, non-governmental organisations (NGO), or even the government, then the financial crises they are facing will be resolved.
Moreover, healers find it very heartbreaking that people with the virus who have benefited from their herbal medicine in the treatment of their skin diseases, fail to report back to the traditional medicine clinics/centers for follow-ups. Most people living with the virus will even find it difficult to talk about the experience with the treatment of the herbs, as they don't want people to know their status, due to stigmatisation by society. If the education of the public on how to treat people with HIV/AIDS will be intensified, then people living with it will not hesitate to talk publicly about their lives
The African continent and many parts of the world have relied on the use of herbs to their diseases, however modernisation has brought about people shifting their attention to the scientific way of curing diseases, hence brushing aside herbal medicines. This situation has resulted into people losing trust in the efficiency, quality, and the hygienic manner of herbal medicines.
The Way forward
It has come to the realisation that in order to make people living with the virus, especially those who cannot afford the antiretroviral treatment for skin diseases, be go in for traditional herbal treatment. In this case, the President of the GHAFRAM has indicated those herbal medicine healers/practitioners are currently receiving training from NGOs and government institutions to build their capabilities. This will expose them to all kinds of herbs and broaden their horizons in their field of research, in order to intensify the quality and efficiency of their medicines. Additionally, trained healers/practitioners are engaged in the fight against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)/HIV/AIDS in their communities. As two heads are better than one, healers are on the verge of collaborating with scientists and orthodox medical practitioners, as they both sometimes need each other's service.
Conclusion The initiative of giving herbal medicine the chance to help in the treatment of HIV/AIDS skin diseases, is a good step towards the eradication of the virus, and will not only be of benefit to people living with the virus in Ghana, but the world as a whole. It is about time the public as well, give herbal medicine a chance to prove itself. Society must support these initiatives of these herbal medicine healers and practitioners, so as to boost their moral for more research.
This would encourage people with the diseases not to lose hope, and that their dreams and aspirations in life are still on the verge of accomplishment. There is therefore the need for increased education to create more awareness, for the people to become cautious about sexual practices, which would help minimise the spread of the pandemic.
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