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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

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Open Access 01-12-2021 | Intoxication | Research article

Local experience of using traditional medicine in northern Rwanda: a qualitative study

Authors: Mengxin Tan, Yuko Otake, Teisi Tamming, Valerie Akuredusenge, Beatha Uwinama, Fabien Hagenimana

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

The popular use of traditional medicine in low-income settings has previously been attributed to poverty, lack of education, and insufficient accessibility to conventional health service. However, in many countries, including in Rwanda, the use of traditional medicine is still popular despite the good accessibility and availability of conventional health services. This study aims to explore why traditional medicine is popularly used in Rwanda where it has achieved universal health coverage.

Methods

The qualitative study, which included in-depth interviews and participant observations, investigated the experience of using traditional medicine as well as the perceived needs and reasons for its use in the Musanze district of northern Rwanda. We recruited 21 participants (15 community members and 6 traditional healers) for in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate common themes and coding schemes.

Results

Our findings suggest that the characteristics of traditional medicine are responding to community members’ health, social and financial needs which are insufficiently met by the current conventional health services. Participants used traditional medicine particularly to deal with culture-specific illness – uburozi. To treat uburozi appropriately, referrals from hospitals to traditional healers took place spontaneously.

Conclusions

In Rwanda, conventional health services universally cover diseases that are diagnosed by the standard of conventional medicine. However, this universal health coverage may not sufficiently respond patients’ social and financial needs arising from the health needs. Given this, integrating traditional medicine into national health systems, with adequate regulatory framework for quality control, would be beneficial to meet patients’ needs.

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Title: Local experience of using traditional medicine in northern Rwanda: a qualitative study
Authors: Mengxin Tan
Yuko Otake
Teisi Tamming
Valerie Akuredusenge
Beatha Uwinama
Fabien Hagenimana
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keyword: Intoxication
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-021-03380-5

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Local experience of using traditional medicine in northern Rwanda: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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