DELSU JOURNAL OF NATURE, SOCIO-HUMANISTIC AND SCIENTIFIC VALUES

The Corona Virus disease of 2019 otherwise known as COVID- 19 pandemic, which began in late 2019, presented unprecedented challenges to the global healthcare system with devastating effects. The healthcare system, already strained by limited resources and infrastructure, faced immense pressure. The impact of CORONA-19 which was detected in Nigeria on 27 February 2020 included disruption of economic activities and job following the lock down. As nations scrambled to respond to this novel coronavirus, many communities turned to familiar cultural practices and traditional medicine to supplement conventional medical approaches. The situation raises concerns as to the risks of adverse effects from unregulated remedies. The health belief model, systems theory and medical pluralism theory were adopted. The qualitative research method was employed relying on secondary data. Findings revealed that prominent TM used include Neem/dogoyaro (Azadirachta indica), Tetrapleura tetraptera, Bitter leaves (Vernonia a m y g d a l i n a ) , S y z y g i u m a r o m a t i c u m ( C l o v e s ) , Aframomummelegueta (Alligator pepper), Khaya grandifoliola (African Mahogany), Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and Garlic (Allium sativum).Several factors contribute to the increasing use of traditional remedies in Nigeria. These include affordability, cultural and religious beliefs, perceived efficacy, and the limitations of formal healthcare access. The challenges of traditional remedies during COVID – 19 in Nigeria include Poor Standardization, Potential interactions, Misinformation and Misrepresentation. NAFDAC should emphasized that no herbal medicine should claim to treat COVID-19 without proper clinical trials.FGN should harmonize traditional, complementary and alternative medicine practices.

Open Full Text (PDF)