Despite recent scientific advancement and globalization, the system of traditional medicine and complementary/alternative medicine is considered as a primary health care modality in the resource-constrained health care settings. Herbal medicinal system has been postulated and established through empirical observation and trial and error experiments since time immemorial to maintain good health and alleviate ailments and diseases. Earlier, the importance of traditional medicinal plants and phytotherapy have often been disregarded and undervalued. Presently revitalization and renewed interest on traditional medicinal plants has been observed among the public and scientific community. However, several daunting challenges need to be flagged effectively and immediately for the promotion of traditional medicinal plants. The collaborative efforts of ethnobotanists, anthropologists, pharmacists, and physicians could be a workable strategy to evaluate and validate the usage of traditional medicinal plants with the modern scientific methods and innovative techniques. Furthermore, conducting clinical trials to assess their efficacy and human safety is imperative and inevitable.
1 November 2011 in Clinical Microbiology and Infection
A study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practices of Ethiopian farmers about pesticide management: implications for human health. A pretested standardized questionnaire was administered. The results revealed that the great majority 174 (99.4%) farmers had ample awareness about pesticide impact on human health. However, various hazardous practices have also been documented. One hundred thirty-five (77.2%) farmers make use of the empty pesticide containers for various household purposes. The most frequent self-reported toxicity symptoms associated with pesticide use were headache (58.8%), salivation and vomiting (38.2%), nausea (36.5%), and sneezing (12.5%). Chi-square analysis revealed a strong association between the farmer's educational status and reported toxicity symptoms (p = .0001; χ2 = 498.2; df = 30). Creating awareness about safe usage of pesticide is extremely vital by special orientation programs. Besides, promoting alternative pest control strategies such as use of biopesticides and integrated pest management (IPM) could be productive.
The counterfeiting of anti-malarials represents a form of attack on global public health in which fake and substandard anti-malarials serve as de facto weapons of mass destruction, particularly in resource-constrained endemic settings, where malaria causes nearly 660,000 preventable deaths and threatens millions of lives annually. It has been estimated that fake anti-malarials contribute to nearly 450,000 preventable deaths every year. This crime against humanity is often underestimated or ignored. This study attempts to describe and characterize the direct and indirect effects of counterfeit anti-malarials on public health, clinical care and socio-economic conditions.