The study attempts to elucidate the problem of the management of snakebites and envenomations in rural areas. It aims to assess the management of snakebite cases in the Bonginda group in Equateur, DR Congo. A survey was conducted during the period from January 2019 to December 2020. In addition, doctors from the Bonginda Health Zone, traditional healers and a few resource persons such as herbalists and people who have been treated for cases bites were contacted. The nature of the retrospective study required the administration of a questionnaire to those involved in the investigation. These include traditional healers and doctors from the health structures of the General Reference Hospital of Bikoro, Ntende, Moheli, Iyembemoke and Momboyo. The healing score recorded by traditional healers in the event of envenomation is estimated at 93.94% against 23.94% in medical structures. The low score recorded in the latter would be justified by the lack of an appropriate protocol for the specific cases thus diagnosed on the basis of modern equipment. Thus, the care provided by traditional healers seems more effective.
Snakebite envenomation is a neglected tropical disease causing enormous suffering, disability and premature death on all continents. This study aims to inventory the plants involved in the management of snakebite cases in rural areas. A survey was conducted in the Bonginda groupement, Bonginda Territory, Equateur Province in DR Congo during the period from January 2019 to December 2020. Data was collected by the standardized interview method with a focus on individual interview technique. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to traditional healers reputed in the treatment of snakebites. It shows that 17 species grouped into 14 families are used to treat cases of ophidian envenomation in Bonginda. The Fabaceae and Rubiaceae families each have 3 species. The others are monospecific. Among the organs used, leaves predominate with a score of 44.4%. They are followed by the roots (18.5%). Regarding the mode of preparation, the decoction prevails with 27.3%. It is followed by grinding (13.6%). As for the route of administration, local application (28.6%) is ahead of the oral route (23.8%) and purgation (14.3%). Constituents based on medicinal plants are recognized as local heritage.
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