Value of medicinal plants and role in primary health care of local communities: Case of Kongowe ward, Kibaha District, Tanzania

This study analyses the value of medicinal plants and their impact on the welfare of the local community in Kibaha district, Coast Region, Tanzania. Data were collected in 2000 through interviewing traditional healers obtaining medicinal plants from Ruvu North Forest Reserve (RNFR). The results showed that more than 90% of traditional healers were above 50 years of age and only 8% have attained primary education. Women constituted 17% of this user group. Old age and insufficient formal education of many of the traditional healers pose a danger of losing this valuable knowledge on traditional medicine.A single traditional healer earned an average net annual income of T.shs. 2.3 miilion (US$ 2591 at Tshs. 888 exchange rate) from medicinal plants. This value was found to be relatively higher than the minimum annual salary of a government employee, which is Tshs. 540,000 (US$ 600). An estimated capitalised value of T.Shs. 350000 million (US$ 388889) is realised by traditional healers from the forest in form of medicine (8% discount rate). This is replacement value that traditional healers will loose if denied access to the forest in terms of collection of medicine only.On yearly average, a traditional healer treats 41 diseases on 150 patients charging T.shs. 2580 per treatment. A total of 70 diseases and ailments are treated using 185 plants species. About 70% of housewives rely on traditional medicine hence reducing expenditure on primary health care by 69%. Limited access to clinics and high cost of western medicines are not only considerations determining the use of traditional medicines. Instead, sentiments were expressed regarding the desire for using indigenous health care systems and a strong notion that clinics can not cure particular ailments.It is recommended that traditional healers should be encouraged to grow their own medicinal plants so as to ensure future supply. Further training and exposure to different medicinal practices essential to improve healer efficiency and capacity. They should also be encouraged to transfer their knowledge to the young generation before it is lost. The forest resources should be managed in such a way that plants with medicinal values are utilised in a sustainable manner to ensure that these forests continue to contribute to health care and welfare of the local communities.