Attitude of health care professionals in integrating traditional and modern medicine to control COVID-19-19 epidemics in Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: The 2019 novel Corona virus had received remarkable devotion for its increasing incidence and widespread prevalence. On January 31, 2020, the World Health Organization declared that the COVID-19-19 outbreak had become public health emergency of the globe in 21th century. The nationwide infection and death from the outbreak in Ethiopia had risen significantly. On the other hand, Ethiopia and the world got a lesson from many countries like America, Spain, and China that the disease was deadly in its nature. The China’s health organization advised various treatments including traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of health care professionals’ to integrate traditional medicine and modern medicine on controlling the COVID-19-19 epidemics in Northeast Ethiopia if traditional herbalists had remedy and the government (Ethiopian nutrition and drug approval agency) approved it after exhaustive investigation on the remedy. Methodology: An institution based cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from health facilities in Northeast Ethiopia. The attitude questions were prepared in Likert scale format and the health professionals were asked about the integration of traditional medicine and modern medicine, and adjunct effect of traditional medicine to control COVID-19-19 outbreak. The 11attitude scale questions were developed through literature review, expert comments, interview and focus group discussion. The internal consistency of the scale was also assessed using Cronbach's Alpha test. All health care professionals (737), who were working in the two towns (Woldia and Mersa) received the self-administered questionnaire and involved in this study. Results: Of the total 750health professionals (sampling frame) as per the zonal health department database, only 737health professionals involved in the study, and that gave a 98.3% response rate. Eight one (11%) health professionals strongly disagree on accepting traditional medicine to treat COVID-19-19, and 163(22.1%) professionals disagree to use traditional medicine on treating COVID-19-19. But 92(12.5%) professionals were neutral on accepting traditional medicine to treat COVID-19-19. On the other side 300(40.7%), and 101(13.7%) professionals selected agree and strongly agree options on accepting traditional medicine to treat COVID-19-19 item, respectively. One hundred thirteen (15.3%) health professionals strongly disagree regarding traditional medicine utilization to treat COVID-19, and 163(22.1%) health professionals disagree on recommending traditional medicine utilization to others. But 92(12.5%) health professionals were neutral regarding recommendation to treat COVID-19 using traditional medicine. On the other side, 300(40.7%) and 101(13.7%) health professionals agree and strongly agree to recommend traditional medicine utilization to control COVID-19 respectively. The mean value of attitude was calculated by considering all the 11attitude scale questions. The mean attitude score of health professionals in integrating traditional and modern medicine increases, when the health professionals profession is medical laboratory (B=0.23, p-value <0.005), or when the professionals employed in health center (B=0.46, p-value <0.001). However, the mean attitude score of health professionals on integrating traditional and modern medicine decreases, when the health professionals profession is pharmacy (B= -0.23, p-value <0.005), or when the health professionals profession is medical doctor (B= -0.83, p-value <0.001). Conclusion: The attitude of health care professionals in integrating traditional and modern medicine to control COVID-19 outbreak was neither good nor bad. More than 50% of health professionals held a neutral and above positive attitude towards agree or extremely agree in majority of the attitude questions. If the government develops a system to integrate modern medicine and traditional medicine to control the COVID-19-19 outbreak, health professionals will not pose significant challenge.