The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
Webster Chikono regrets the day he put his trust in a “street herbalist” to solve his supposed fertility challenges.
For close to four years, he and his wife failed to conceive.
Since his wife already had a child from a previous marriage, the problem was naturally pinned on him.
Webster could not afford professional medical tests for proper diagnosis as he was not gainfully employed.
Desperate for an immediate solution, he ended up enlisting the services of a street herbalist who had been recommended by a friend.
It turned out to be the beginning of a six-month nightmare.
“Sometime last year, I got some herbs from a vendor that I was recommended by a colleague. These were supposed to solve my fertility issues but I ended up having erectile dysfunction for close to six months after taking the prescribed substances.
“My condition only improved after concerned relatives took me to a medical doctor in town. He managed to reverse the condition after conducting a series of tests and recommending a number of drugs and injections,” said Webster, who was born and bred in Harare’s high-density suburb of Budiriro.
He is now a father of one and his life is back to normal. But it is believed that not all of those who fall into similar challenges have lived to tell the tale. Some patients who get prescriptions from street and pavement herbalists either succumb to their illnesses or develop health complications.
“Our friend succumbed to a sexually transmitted infection (STI) complication early this year. He failed to seek medical attention at a clinic or hospital after a herbalist, only identified as Sekuru Mapango convinced him that his treatment was the best for the infection.
“His condition deteriorated as he started losing weight, suffered memory loss and lost his eyesight. He later passed on,” Tapfuma Tigere told The Sunday Mail Society last week.
Worries
Government is worried by the growing ranks of self-proclaimed herbalists, most of whom operate at the heart of the country’s major cities.
While street herbalists have been in existence since time immemorial, the growing number of those taking up the practice is raising serious concern.
Herbalists, traditional and spiritual healers are required by law to register with the Traditional Medical Practitioners Council (TMPC), which is an arm of the Ministry of Health and Child Care, whose mandate is to control traditional medicine activities in Zimbabwe.
Its affiliates include the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (Zinatha) and Zimbabwe National Practitioners Association (ZINPA). More than 317 practitioners registered with TMPC in 2018.
However, the figure declined to 261 last year, before tumbling again to 100 this year.
The dwindling number tells a diametrically different story to the burgeoning number of practitioners who continue to join the trade.
“The number of people practicing has increased in the past year, yet figures of those registered continue to plunge. A simple survey in town or residential areas will show you that we have hundreds, if not thousands, that claim to be herbalists or traditional healers. Automatically, this means the market is now flooded by bogus healers since they are not registered,” said TMPC chair Sekuru Friday Chisanyu.
The drawcard for most herbalists are the seemingly cheaper medicines they offer.
But, as some have proven, this has the potential to be expensive in the long run.
“Cases of fake herbalists are now prevalent . . . Most people cannot afford hospitals or pharmaceutical medicine, so they opt for cheap herbs. Remember, herbs have been used since time immemorial,” explained traditionalist and Zinatha secretary for research, Sekuru Elisha Mutanga.
While many have been forced to turn to herbalists due to punitive prices charged in health institutions, others, particularly men, reportedly put themselves in harm’s way due to ignorance.
A self-proclaimed herbalist who operates adjacent a nightclub in the capital’s central business district (CBD) said he often attends to patients with various ailments.
“Men are my leading clients. They are often after this guchu (a mixture of different herbs put in a 5-litre bottle) that cleans the reproductive system and boosts libido. Likewise, they also come for STI solutions and we have everything in stock,” said the herbalist, who only identified himself as Simba.
Among herbs he has in stock were small sachets inscribed “herpes/warts”, “diabetes”, “moringa”, “zumbani” and “cancer”.
He is neither registered with any association nor does he have any form of qualification for his trade.
“I grew up with my late grandfather who was a renowned healer. His skills later on passed to me. You do not need to attend formal school for this.”
A standard cup of the concoction (guchu) is sold between $30 and $50.
A singular dose of pharmaceutical drugs with the same supposed efficacy as “guchu” retail for US$3.
“The sad thing is most people are being duped,” said Victor Musere, who is now into tyre fitting and repair in Mbare after retiring from practice.
“I would get barks or leaves from common trees like muhacha, guava, musamvu, matohwe — those known to be harmless. I then would grind them into powder before selling them to unsuspecting people as medicine.”
Damage
Ministry of Health and Child Care mental health deputy director Dr Sacrifice Chirisa said the public’s growing trust in bogus herbalists is largely attributed to psychosocial economic issues.
“Most businesses and other income-generating projects were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, so most people cannot afford to seek proper medication, thereby taking to bogus and less expensive herbalists.
“However, the danger becomes that of wrong herbs for certain ailments and in the end this causes bigger problems; in some cases, serious mental problems.
“In other cases, undiagnosed mental problems can also make one depend on herbs for any problem that they think they have hoping to find solutions,” he said.
According to Dr Andile Grootboom, deputy director for indigenous knowledge-based tech innovation at South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation, African traditional medicine is gaining attention and interest despite advances in modern medicine.
“Most of the continent’s population use traditional medicine for at least some of their healthcare needs. Plants originating from Africa constitute about 8 percent of the 1 100 medicinal plants commercialised globally,” she notes.
TMPC is currently working with Government to craft a framework to rein in illegal herbalists.
“We have been receiving reports of people being misled into abandoning crucial medication for ailments like cancer and HIV, among others,” revealed Sekuru Chisanyu.
“Apart from putting people’s lives at risk, bogus herbalists and traditional healers are also causing deforestation. We teach our members sustainable ways of herb harvesting.”
Biotech Health Group’s chief executive officer Dr Takudzwa Mutsvanga said untested herbs could have adverse effects on patients.
“Most herbs are misunderstood by both the manufacturer, distributor and consumers due to a lack of scientific research. That is why, unlike drugs, a single herb is marketed as a painkiller, anticancer, anti-diabetic aphrodisiac, antibiotic and everything that can push sales.
“I have seen some cases where patients come for medical attention after taking wrong herbs for a certain condition; some of these herbs even lead to complications like erectile dysfunction, liver complications or cancer,” he said.
Similarly, there is always concern over diagnosis and doses prescribed by those who are not qualified to do so.
