Contested or complementary healing paradigms? Women’s narratives of COVID-19 remedies in Mwanza, Tanzania

Abstract

Background COVID-19 has caused worldwide fear and uncertainty. Historically, the biomedical disease paradigm established its dominance in tackling emerging infectious illnesses mainly due to innovation in medication and advances in technology. Traditional and religious remedies have emerged as plausible options for prevention and treatment of COVID-19, especially in Africa and Asia. The appeal of religious and traditional therapies against COVID-19 in the African setting must be understood within the historical, social, and political context. This study explored how women and community members dealt with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 in Mwanza, Tanzania. Methods This study was conducted in Nyamagana and Ilemela districts of Mwanza, Tanzania, between July and August 2020. We conducted 18 mobile phone in-depth interviews with a purposively selected sample of women aged 27–57 years participating in an existing longitudinal study. For safety reasons, smart mobile phones were used to collect the data. Each interview was audio recorded after obtaining verbal consent from the participants. The audio files were transferred to computers for analysis. Four researchers conducted a multistage, inductive analysis of the data. Results Participants reported wide use and perceived high efficacy of traditional remedies and prayer to prevent and treat suspected symptoms of COVID-19. Use was either alone or combined with public health recommendations such as hand washing and crowd avoidance. Despite acknowledging that a pathogen causes COVID-19, participants attested to the relevance and power of traditional herbal medication and prayer to curb COVID-19. Four main factors underline the symbolic efficacy of the traditional and religious treatment paradigms: personal, communal, and official reinforcement of their efficacy; connection to local knowledge and belief systems; the failure of biomedicine to offer a quick and effective solution; and availability. Conclusions In the context of emerging contagious illnesses, communities turn to resilient and trusted treatment paradigms to quell fear and embrace hope. To tackle emerging infections effectively, it is essential to engage the broader sociopolitical landscape, including communal considerations of therapeutic efficacy.

The folk illness kimeo and “traditional” uvulectomy: an ethnomedical study of care seeking for children with cough and weakness in Dar es Salaam

“…Health care for children under five is free at public facilities but the quality of the services is often inadequate, and many people, including the poor, opt for private health services. In addition to professional health providers, Tanzanians make use of a wide range of healing paradigms [38][39][40].…”

“…A central finding of this study is that caregivers rely on their personal experiences, or advice from family and friends when choosing to take a child for uvulectomy. Medical anthropologists have pointed out that experiences "are generated relationally" [52] and other studies from Tanzania have shown that social relations are central for treatment-seeking practices, and that trust in certain forms of treatment is "reinforced through social recommendation" [40]. There is therefore a possibility that the acceptability of uvulectomy can increase in the urban context, rather than decrease.…”

Use of home remedies for the treatment and prevention of coronavirus disease: An integrative review

“…Some preventative remedies include steam inhalation, drinking herbal juices, decoction (Kadha) and hot water; these are mainly used in Asian countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India 24,29,45 . Vitamin C and concoctions containing garlic, lemon and ginger, other native herbs and warm water are commonly used in Africa 30–32 . Despite having no pharmacological rationale for using these remedies, they have proven effective.…”

“…24,29,45 Vitamin C and concoctions containing garlic, lemon and ginger, other native herbs and warm water are commonly used in Africa. [30][31][32] Despite having no pharmacological rationale for using these remedies, they have proven effective.…”

Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum americanum: A Systematic Literature Review on Chemical Compositions and Antimicrobial Properties

“…15,16 Ocimum species have historically been used to control the COVID-19 epidemic, particularly in developing nations. 17,18 Ocimum americanum, commonly known as hoary basil, and Ocimum basilicum, also known as sweet basil leaves, are 2 plant species that belong to the Ocimum species and are utilized extensively for their many medicinal uses. Numerous chemicals found in these plants, including tannins, carotenoids, flavonoids, and estragole, have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antibacterial, anticancer, and wound-healing properties.…”