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Leroy Dzenga Features Writer
“This is not the right time to get injured. Your chances of dying are very high. Medicine is expensive,” a commuter omnibus driver reprimanded touts who were latching onto his rear view mirror.

While his statement could have sounded like an animated attempt to warn colleagues to desist from reckless conduct, it carried truth for many Zimbabweans, currently.

Pharmacies in Zimbabwe have been wearing predatory faces ever since the foreign currency shortages began around mid-October.

They are demanding payment strictly in United States dollars, and when they decide to accept RTGS payment or mobile money, their conversion rate is punitive.

The pricing model pursued by pharmacies betrays the priority they are given by Government, accessing currency at 1:1 rate from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

A packet of Ibuprofen, popularly referred to as just “Brufen” used to be sold for $1 in happier times, now pharmacies are demanding US$1 without compromise or $5 on mobile money, which they deem to be the equivalent.

The exchange rates being applied by pharmacies are higher than those being asked for on the black market, making them the biggest currency “burners” in the economy right now.

As things stand, medical aid schemes have been rendered useless as the shortfalls being asked border on the outrageous.

In the depth of the night, it appears many people are resorting to traditional remedies for illnesses in the time Western medicine is being sent beyond the people’s reach through pricing.

Doctor Elisha Mutanga, a renowned traditional healer in Harare said the number of people who have been seeking their services in recent days have soared.

There is a strong possibility, those with different ailments are seeking routes, which are friendly to their pockets.

“We have never charged people in US dollars. People are realising that the indigenous knowledge they have been shunning is reliably theirs. Ours is a calling to provide remedies to people; it is not driven by profit unlike pharmaceuticals,” said Dr Mutanga.

He vehemently denied the assertion that traditional medicine exists as an alternative to Western medicine, arguing that the latter’s popularity is a glaring consequence of the nation’s painful history.

“During colonialism, colonisers convinced our people that our indigenous knowledge and medicines were related to demons and evil. This is how Western medicine got to become preffered by many,” Dr Mutanga explained how indeginous knowledge suffered from a well calculated agenda.

Sometimes, traditional healers are consulted “nicodemously” and Dr Mutanga said the behaviour is a carry-over from Rhodesian days.

“Back in those days, before we got Independence, the Rhodesian government would occasionally crack down on traditional healers, and as a result, people resorted to seeking help during late hours. But now that we are free in our country, that should not continue to be the case,” said Dr Mutanga.

However, one major hindrance of traditional medicine is the lack of traceable documentation, which can be referred to and understood by laymen in the absence of an ordained practitioner.

This has threatened the rolling down of marbles of information, leading to some dying with their knowledge.

Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) has seen a surge in consultations at their pharmacies in the aftermath of recent currency disturbances.

George Kandiero, who heads the association said the prejudice against traditional medicine has deterred some from seeking their services, but difficult times have forced them out of their shells.

“Our members have been reporting an increase in consultations since the foreign currency shortages begun. However, it has to be clear that our consultations have always been high. It is just that they are on the rise due to the current situation,” Kandiero said.

This could be an opportunity for Zimbabwe to break from the past and do away with the old approach of engaging with indigenous knowledge on a clandestine basis.

Kandiero believes that “conventional” medical institutions can help people accept indigenous medicines.

“A referral system has to be put in place. Hospitals have to refer patients officially to us when they fail, so we can help. Referrals are already happening. Nurses already whisper our names to patients whenever they face a situation they can’t solve. Why can’t they formalise the relaying of information so people can benefit,” said Kandiero?

Herbs have brought reprieve to those who are struggling to pay hard currency to pharmacies

According to him, there should be a complementary element between conventional sciences and indigenous knowledge.

“Currently, there is a negative attitude towards what we do, which needs to be eradicated. Some of our members sleep during the day because they know patients will come at night,” Kandiero said, bemoaning the effect of misinformation on indigenous medicine.

He added: “There should be a clear budget allocation for traditional health practice. This will help in the processes of research and the production of literature which can preserve the knowledge,” Kandiero said.

Countries like China place emphasis on their traditional medicines, the reason brands like Tiens are visible on the Zimbabwean market.

“There is nothing wrong with indigenous medicine. Even the church that used to talk bad about natural remedies, is now showing signs of acceptance if you look at recent events,” Kandiero said.

Even though many have sought and found refuge in traditional medicine, traditional health practitioners believe there should be continued adherence to prescribed medicines.

Traditional Medicines Practices Council (TMPC) Chairman, Sekuru Friday Chisanyu urged traditional healers to handle the recent surge in consultations responsibly.

“There is need for traditionalists to encourage people to continue with prescribed medicines. You find that there are people who have lived on medication for more than 10 years, even in the face of exorbitant pricing by pharmacies. They should try to strictly adhere to their medicine,” Sekuru Chisanyu said.

There have been fears that the “dramatic surge” in consultations,” as Sekuru Chisanyu described the current situation, would result in price increases responding to high demand.

“When we register traditional medicine practitioners, we teach them about the sanctity of life. This has allowed flexibility, as many agree to negotiations and even payment through other forms like grain, unlike in hospitals where payment is strictly cash”, he said.

Sekuru Chisanyu added: “As people seek services, they should be wary of charlatans who may take advantage of their desperation. These are usually people who do not possess the requisite knowledge on which herbs to administer and are trying to make a quick buck. These people should not try to make a living from stealing.”

In his academic journal titled “Traditional use of medicinal plants in south-central Zimbabwe: Review and perspective,” Plant Ecology and Botany scholar Professor Alfred Maroyi identified traditional medicine as the most affordable and easily accessible source of treatment for poor communities in Zimbabwe.

According to Prof Maroyi, “Out of more than 5 000 plant species growing in Zimbabwe, about 10 percent of these have medicinal properties and are used as traditional medicines.”

Prof Maroyi also says about 80 percent of the population in developing countries use traditional medicine because they cannot afford the high cost of Western pharmaceuticals and health care.

The cultural and spiritual element of traditional medicine also aids this acceptability in countries like Zimbabwe.

Common plants and traditional medicine in the country include Dicoma anomala (Chifumuro), which is known to be a remedy for stomach discomfort.

Another popular remedy is Parinari curatelifolia (Muchakata) whose roots have been relied on as relief for constipation and toothaches.

Both these medicines have antibacterial properties and antimicrobial activities.

Indigenous knowledge and traditional medicines have come to the rescue at a time many people have been left to hang dry by the pharmacies.

Although Western medicine is in its own right critical to people’s well-being, it may be time to consider funding research into indigenous remedies, which bleed people’s pockets less.

It is also a way of preserving our cultural identity as a country through useful knowledge.

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