The Kenyan plant specialist making the case for traditional African medicine

Martin Odhiambo has always been intrigued by the healing properties of plants and has been eager to share his knowledge with his fellow Kenyans for many years.

Every Thursday, he speaks in the Nairobi National Museum amphitheatre to dozens of people who have come to learn and exchange information about traditional medicine.

Despite concerns about the effectiveness and safety of these treatments, an estimated 80 percent of people in African countries rely on them when they are sick, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

One way to ease safety concerns in Kenya would be to find a way for authorities to oversee traditional medicine, as is done in some other countries.

But for now, Odhiambo is eager to educate others about the plant remedies he believes can cure common ailments such as colds, skin problems and stomach upset.

He argues that long before the advent of conventional medicine, there were traditional healers who knew from their ancestors what worked to treat which conditions.

The information exists within the community but does not spread beyond that.

Odhiambo works for the Indigenous Culture and Health Trust (Ticah), which has a partnership with the museum, considered a repository of the country’s cultural heritage.

There he manages a special garden, known as the Medicinal Garden, which contains more than 250 species of medicinal plants, but for educational purposes, not for sale.

Odhiambo has studied medicinal plants for years, and says he has absorbed so much folklore and indigenous knowledge, not just through scientific research but through conversations with people who use them, that he now “tends to dream about plants.”

At his weekly plant lectures, he acted like a professor, imparting his vast knowledge to all in attendance, which included herbalists, midwives from the United States, psychologists, teachers, university students and businesswomen.

The talk begins with a prayer and a summary of what was learned last week, then moves quickly to talk about the plant of the day.

The first focus is Lantana camara – A common shrub with various local names, including “nyabende” and “mukige”.

Traditionally, it is said to relieve headaches and toothaches, acts as an insect repellent, and its twigs can even be used as toothbrushes.

One participant also said it “brings good vibes and creates positive energy.”

As the conference continues, people discuss, share and learn about different plant remedies for various health issues.

We will also talk about the cultural context in which the plants are used, including traditional rituals, food preservation, and even their mystical power to instill “goodwill” within communities.

This forum is not to be used to discuss scientific studies or whether claims can be proven in controlled experiments.

“We don’t verify this information,” said Vitalis Ochieng, a senior program manager at Thika, stressing that the key is for people to share what they know.

The group’s main mission, he added, is to demonstrate the value of traditional medicine and amplify the voices of those who practice it.

One of the factors impeding the widespread use of traditional medicine in Kenya is the lack of government policies to encourage its safe use.

Ochieng argued that indigenous knowledge could be the basis for scientific research, adding that traditional medicine was being embraced in countries like China and even exported as “alternative medicine”.

He has been campaigning to have traditional medicine regulated and standardised in Kenya, a legislation that has been in the works for several years.

Today, so-called “herbal clinics” selling poor-quality medicinal herbs are giving traditional medicine a bad reputation, experts in the East African country acknowledge.

Dr Ruth Nyangacha, deputy director of the Centre for Traditional Medicines Research (CTMDR), a government body that advises the Ministry of Health on traditional medicine, said there were problems with fraudsters and deliberate or accidental contamination of products.

She told the BBC that it was particularly dangerous for people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, because many turn to these treatments not only because of their cost but also because they are more readily available in remote areas.

Joyce Nganga, a businesswoman who first attended a lecture on plants at the museum, said she turned to traditional medicine after finding conventional medicines ineffective for her condition.

In fact, the medication he was prescribed after being diagnosed with chronic acid reflux eight years ago had side effects, including making him increasingly forgetful.

After going to India for treatment didn’t help, she began seeking out herbal remedies.

“I saw no reason to go back to them,” she said, glowing about the conventional medicines she has now abandoned.

It’s a treatment not recommended by doctors due to safety concerns, but Nganga says his experience gives him hope that traditional herbal remedies will eventually be made official.

Herbalist Patrick Mwati attends plant talks almost weekly to improve his skills, and has been studying medicinal plants for decades, since learning directly from his father in the 1970s.

He develops and sells local herbal products, some of which he presents to others at lectures, including a “herbal tea” that the packaging claims will help with fertility treatments, and which he says will “detoxify” and “revitalize” the kidneys and “cleanse” the liver.

Another product is said to treat depression.

The effectiveness of these treatments has not been scientifically proven, and Tika encourages herbalists to register and work with authorities to formalise their treatments.

Mwati took the samples to a government laboratory for chemical analysis, which proved the samples were valid and harmless and passed.

But the process required to bring a product to market is long, involving standardization and quality control, and many government agencies. Like other traditional practitioners, he doesn’t have the time or money to do this.

Dr Nyangacha explained that one of the challenges was knowing the expiry date of the active ingredients in treatments, noting that this often meant “guessing”.

The CTMDR, a division of the government’s Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri), does not have the funds to test herbal remedies for efficacy and get them approved for conventional use.

But there is no reason why this cannot be done, Dr Nyangacha argued, pointing out that Kemuri has developed its own products, such as herbal medicines used to treat genital herpes and salts used for high blood pressure.

“There are real medicines and traditional medicines. [that]I have to say it certainly has an effect.”

Odhiambo doesn’t need convincing – in fact, he wants his passion for plants to help Kenyans know that common ailments can be treated without question using remedies “like in the old days”.