Traditional healing practices - implications for healthcare

Traditional healing practices - implications for healthcare

According to the 2011 census, 104 million people live in India as members of the tribes (~ 8.6% of the country's population), which belong to over 550 tribal communities and around 277 ethnic groups. Stem communities have completely submitted to the forest environment and, through life near nature, have acquired unique knowledge of the use of local resources over the years. In view of their valuable knowledge of the specific use of a large number of wild plants, they could almost be regarded as the real administrators of medicinal plants. There is a growing understanding of the central role that medicinal plants play in the provision of plant remedies against health diseases. According to a study by the All India Coordinated Research Project on Ethnobiology (AICRPE), over ten thousand wild plant species of tribal members are to be used to meet their primary health and food needs. There are also about eight thousands of medicinal plant varieties used by over two million traditional healers to treat human and animal diseases. The traditional medicine, which is inherited from generation to generation, is rich in local recipes for general health problems. The best known examples of traditional medicine, which differ in the concept and protocol, are well -developed systems such as Ayurvedic and vegetable treatments that are often used to preserve human health, especially in tribal regions of India.

1. Bhokar / Shelti – cures kidney stones, diarrhea and stomach problems

2. Karvand - a rich source of iron, phosphorus and vitamin C.

3. Pathari – For ichthyosis (skin flaking), xeroderma (dry skin). The roots are crushed and the extract is used

4. Kadu Kand - Well -cooked onion slices can be consumed to relieve stomach pain, while pear wood paste is used for wound healing

5. Tetu - Women is administered to the treatment of leukorrhea and menorrhea

Traditional medicine - links to the health of mother and child

Traditional medicine is crucial and has contributed enormously to maternal and child health care in tribal regions. Jawhar block in Palghar district, Maharashtra is a tribal block with rich biodiversity, especially rice varieties with specific characteristics and uses. The tribal farmers have grown various varieties of rice for purposes such as food security, immediate energy supply during peak workloads and medicinal use. This wonderful variety of rice has formed the basis of nutritious and safe diet for the vulnerable sections of the tribal population i.e. mothers, pregnant and lactating women and young children.

Various ongoing studies conducted by NGOs such as BAIF Development Research Foundation in various tribal belts in Maharashtra have revealed a number of rice varieties with specific medicinal properties and uses. For example, a variety of rice called “Mahadi” has several health benefits; One of them is to cure weakness in women after pregnancy. Other rice varieties include Rajghudya and Kali Kudai (used to increase breast milk in lactating women); Kali Khadsi (for child growth and nutrition); Kasbai (for nebulization that provides immediate relief from cough) and Dangi (for instant energy boost) are among others used.

In addition, traditional kitchens serve as in -house business for medical care. Suitable health centers are missing in the tribal regions. Therefore, most of the delivery of children take place at home and not in a hospital. The rate of institutional deliveries is slowly increasing, but it is still a long way until this becomes the rule rather than the exception. Since most deliveries are made at home, traditional obstetricians play an important role in tribal regions. One of the practices of obstetricians in the villages is to use materials such as cowing as a disinfectant in the house in order to keep different diseases in check. The various homemade medication, mostly herbal medication for mother and child, are mainly prescribed. Restoration of the original physiology of the mother is a challenge that the local healers frequently face.

Loss of habitat - a threat to traditional medicine

An impending threat to the further spread of traditional medicine is the widespread loss of the habitat. The unregulated harvest of wild products in connection with an ecological deterioration that leads to a comprehensive exhaustion of the resources and to the land loss of the tribes (and even those who have land will continuously lose their country to the government or private companies), are some of the factors that represent a serious and growing threat to the population preservation and traditional medicinal plants.

Furthermore, there has been a gradual erosion of native varieties, particularly rice biodiversity. Most native rice varieties are being replaced by high-yielding varieties. These high-yielding varieties have not resulted in a spectacular increase in yields in this region. The majority of farmers, especially the resource-poor tribal farmers, cannot afford high-quality, expensive fertilizers that are usually recommended along with these varieties.

Tribal healer - traditional knowledge erosion and threat to livelihood

In addition, there has been a gradual loss of practical knowledge of traditional medicine and naturopathic practices in the tribal regions in recent decades. This has led to a poor state of health of the most endangered population groups. Many factors contribute to this erosion of knowledge. The most urgent problems in connection with this erosion of knowledge are: a) lack of incentives and recognition. For example, scientists and researchers collect data and publish their studies, but often do not give the healers due recognition. Ayurvedic and allopathic pharmaceutical manufacturers also extract knowledge for research and developmental purposes, but usually do not share any profits with the tribal healers. b) lack of adequate documentation of knowledge about traditional naturopathic practices; and c) Among other things, interrupted connections between the generations (effects on the spread of ancient knowledge and traditions from the older generation to a younger generation).

Tribal healers are known to use their own health systems using plant and animal extracts. However, in the recent past, there have been factors such as reluctance to follow low-income traditional healing practices; gradual shift to more lucrative alternative livelihoods; A greater reliance on non-traditional healing practices and a high level of intervention by modern medicine threaten the further spread of traditional medical traditions. The local tribal healers are precious, but still remain a neglected lot.

Traditional medicine is both critical and inexpensive (in terms of hospital care) and ensures self -pattern on health care due to the increased dependence on the local biodiversity. The urgently needed thrust must be given.

In addition, the majority of traditional healers lack the statutory cure. Herbal healers must be identified and honored. These unsung heroes must be included in the formal health system of India so that the needy in the villages are offered unhindered services. It is just as important to sort out unqualified healers. These healers serve their services in the innermost and under -provisioned tribal regions. Therefore, suitable regulations as well as measures and support for government policy would help to rationalize traditional naturopathic practices.

In view of the state -managed health systems that are based on modern medicine and are unable to manage the huge health challenges of the country, combined with the acute lack of resources and well -trained health personnel, in order to effectively serve everyone, it is essential to resume traditional naturopathic practices. Traditional exchange of knowledge, preservation of the rich biodiversity and increased focus on tribal healing practices by greater recognition of traditional healers and thus securing their livelihood are the requirement of the hour. In addition, it is important to give the proven traditional medical practices urgently needed impulses in order to ensure better health care for all parts of society, in particular the most endangered population in the country's straps.