SA should start testing African medicines, says Oscar

SA should move away from Eurocentrism when it comes to treating Covid-19 and investigate the possibility that “indigenous interventions” like the use of umhlonyane and eucalyptus could help heal people with the novel virus.

This is according to Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane, who told journalists on Tuesday that they would “propose” to the national department of health and the SA Medical Research Council that they conduct a study to determine how people are beating the virus in the comfort of their homes.

The use of umhlonyane (African wormwood) to treat the coronavirus was first punted by SA Federation of Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi when he tested positive, resulting in more people using it. Some people, especially in the eastern part of the province, have been selling the traditional plant on the side of the road. Umhlonyane is commonly used by traditional healers and in households to treat ailments like menstrual cramps, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory symptoms and asthma.

Acknowledging that there was not a vaccine yet, Mabuyane said there was a possibility that indigenous plants could be the answer in the fight against this pandemic.

“We know umhlonyane has been used since time immemorial and works in treating ailments such as flu.

“We also want to disabuse ourselves of this overdependence on the Eurocentric approach to everything, and the perception that everything that comes, must come from the West — if it comes from Africa, it’s suspect and untrustworthy,” Mabuyane said.

Traditional healers have for years been campaigning for the use of traditional medicine together with scientifically proven medicines.

Mabuyane’s calls for the use of indigenous interventions to be investigated comes as the Eastern Cape heads towards its Covid-19 peak, expected in late August or September.

At the time of writing on Tuesday, there were 373,628 confirmed cases in SA, 5,173 deaths and 194,865 recoveries. Of that, the Eastern Cape accounted for 65,316 cases, 871 fatalities and 44,807 recoveries.

Mabuyane said 432 of those who had died from coronavirus complications in the province had died in July. The provincial coronavirus command council was happy with the number of recoveries.

Mabuyane said they were particularly concerned at:

● The increase in the fatality rate in Chris Hani, Sarah Baartman, Amathole and OR Tambo districts;

● The majority of people dying being between 40 and 80 years old;

● The fact more women aged between 15 and 80 years were testing compared to their male counterparts;

● The mortality rate in private healthcare facilities, but he did not say what that rate was.

We know ‘umhlonyane’ has been used since time immemorial and works in treating ailments such as flu