Practices and Challenges in the Use of Forest Resources in Indigenous Health Care Systems among the Oromo , Ethiopia

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Jirata, Melaku Getahun
Copyright Year	2017
Abstract	Forest resources have numerous values in the entire lives of human beings. Over eras, societies around the world have learned how to use plants to fight illness and maintain health. These freely available and culturally important traditional medicines form the basis of an accessible and affordable health-care system and are an important source of socio-cultural and economic livelihood for indigenous peoples around the world. In short, forests are the repository of medicinal plants. Long before the introduction of modern medicines, indigenous peoples was entirely dependent on herbal medicines for health care for both human and livestock. The World Health Organization estimated that 80% of the populations of developing countries rely on traditional medicines, mostly plant drugs, for their primary health care needs [1]. Approximately 80% of Ethiopia’s population relies on traditional medicine to cure ailments [2]. Studies shown that tropical forests are the source bounty drug which, thus applicable in modern health care systems. However, FAO indicated that demand for medicinal plants is increasing in both developing and developed countries, and surprisingly, the bulk of the material traded is still from wild harvested sources on forest lands and only a very small number of species are cultivated [1]. The expanding trade in medicinal plants has serious implications on the survival of several plant species, with many under serious threat to become extinct.
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Alternate Webpage(s)	https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/practices-and-challenges-in-the-use-of-forest-resources-in-indigenoushealth-care-systems-among-the-oromo-ethiopia-2332-0915-1000184.pdf
Language	English
Access Restriction	Open
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article