Plant Resources of Tropical Africa

Promoting medicinal plants for better livelihoods: The case of PROMETRA Uganda

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Visitors are welcome to the training sessions

 

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PROMETRA Uganda, an affiliate of PROMETRA International is non-governmental organization based in Mpigi District, Uganda, aimed at promoting traditional medical knowledge and practices for improved health through mutual cooperation amongst health systems for a healthy, well informed productive population. PROMETRA is engaged in many actitvities including mobilizing and organizing traditional healers, training and capacity building, treatment and care using traditional medicine, research and information management. These activities benefit an array of beneficiaries including the traditional healers, traditional healers associations, the community and all users of traditional medicine.

In an interview with some of PROMETRA’s staff and trainees, it was evident that the organisation used the PROTA handbook on Medicinal plants as one of its major resource books during its training sessions. The information used was mainly, the different uses of plants used to treat various diseases, the ecology of the different medicinal plant species and propagation of medicinal plants. PROMETRA produced training manuals from the PROTA information for use by their trainees to train other traditional healers outside the Buyijja Forest School. Every trainee was also encouraged to plant at least 40 medicinal plants on his/her garden, with information on propagation mainly from the PROTA handbook, according to Ms. Hadidja Nalunga, PROMETRA’s Program Officer. Indeed, harvesting methodology varied among the trainees with most of it being unsustainable, therefore during these trainings, information on sustainability of harvesting was heavily used.

PROMETRA trainees during a training session at the forest school

 

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According to Bernard Kato of PROMETRA, various species identified in the PROTA book were of great interest to the group’s activities. For example Castor (Ricinus communis), Bitter back tree (Brucea antidysenterica) and Black jack (Bidens pilosa) were among the most commonly used medicinal plants to treat common ailments such as ulcers, fevers and diarrhoea.

From group discussions, all the participating members acknowledged that they also learnt about other ailments that can be treated by species known to them, thanks to the information contained in the PROTA handbookbook. For instance, Mucula (Diospyros mespiliformis) was only known to be anti-bacterial yet it was discovered that it has also anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Some of the participating members reported to have learnt of new ways of propagation of medicinal plant species of interest after attending the training.

A trainee explains to visitors how their Program works

 

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About 90% of respondents interviewed acknowledged that PROTA information helped them improve on the efficacy of their herbal products by improving on the composition of the products for different ailments. For instance, the trainees reported to have learnt that Cannabis sativa, when applied in correct proportions, boosted the effectiveness of herbal products that are used to treat certain ailments such as stomach pains, cancers and ulcers. At least 80% of respondents indicated that their income improved significantly after the training by PROMETRA, although most of their clients could not afford to pay for the treatment.

All repondents present during the discussion were PROMETRA trainees and they disseminated the information they received to other stakeholders through training and demonstrations on gardens. Some of the trainees have trained their children and other interested community members, especially women, on medicinal plant use.