Experience on healthcare utilization in seven administrative regions of Tanzania

Abstract

Health care utilization in many developing countries, Tanzania included, is mainly through the use of traditional medicine (TRM) and its practitioners despite the presence of the conventional medicine. This article presents findings on the study that aimed to get an experience of health care utilization from both urban and rural areas of seven administrative regions in Tanzania. A total of 33 health facility managers were interviewed on health care provision and availability of supplies including drugs, in their respective areas. The findings revealed that the health facilities were overburden with higher population to serve than it was planned. Consequently essential drugs and other health supplies were available only in the first two weeks of the month. Conventional health practitioners considered traditional health practitioners to be more competent in mental health management, and overall, they were considered to handle more HIV/AIDS cases knowingly or unknowingly due to shear need of healthcare by this group. In general conventional health practitioners were positive towards traditional medicine utilization; and some of them admitted using traditional medicines. Traditional medicines like other medical health systems worldwide have side effects and some contentious ethical issues that need serious consideration and policy direction. Since many people will continue using traditional/alternative medicine, there is an urgent need to collaborate with traditional/alternative health practitioners through the institutionalization of basic training including hygiene in order to improved healthcare in the community and attain the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Indigenous Knowledge and HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management in Local Communities in Africa South of the Sahara

“…The scarcity of many essential drugs including anti-retroviral drugs in rural and also in some urban centres in developing countries means that most people will continue to use traditional herbal treatments for HIV related conditions including opportunistic infections [22,30]. The reviewed literature suggest IK remedies can be captured translated and be utilized to the general public.…”

“…These were cough mixture, morisela for various opportunistic infections, Alovera cream for skin infection, tumbo mixture for stomach ulcers, ini remedy for liver infection. Again Kayombo et al [22,29] in East African Network of Traditional Medicine and Medicinal Plants project (2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) have shown that health workers in rural areas reported most of the HIV/AIDS patients went to THPs because there was no drugs to alleviate the suffering of different ailments in their respective health facilities. Also Kayombo [5] in his study in Njombe District documented several herbal plants that were used to treat AIDS and AIDS related patients.…”

“…For instance, in reviews it was learnt that some of the symptoms of HIV/AIDS were common ailments which people suffered in the communities and could be treated by popular common known traditional herbs in the popular health sector [3,5,12]. These symptoms included over breeding during the monthly period for women, dizziness, diarrhoea and coughing [3,5,11] to mention few were being managed by known traditional herbal medicine in the community [3,5,22,[25][26][27]. Most of the people would use the known herbal remedies to treat such ailments.…”

“…It becomes worse with the increasing HIV infections and other infectious diseases which were becoming periodical [18,19]. In some parts of African countries south of the Sahara, a single health facility served as many as 350,000 people, and the ratio of doctors to inhabitants was 1:50,000 [20][21][22][23]. Even among those who could afford the modern health treatment, healthcare could be seen as a luxury [15].…”

“…Even among those who could afford the modern health treatment, healthcare could be seen as a luxury [15]. There was no wonder to see many patients to THPs with different age group, level of education and occupation seeking healthcare; as an option or as an alternative after the failure of the conventional medicine [3,5,21,22,24]. Again, because of the stigma attached to the HIV/AIDS some people did not want to be known by their peers; and hence, resort to THPs as the best option for concealing the health problem suffered [5,25].…”