Perceptions and use of traditional African medicine in Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga province (DR Congo): A cross-sectional study

by Cedrick S. Mutombo, Salvius A. Bakari, Vianney N. Ntabaza, Amandine Nachtergael, Jean-Baptiste S. Lumbu, Pierre Duez, Joh B. Kahumba

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the desire of the Ministry of Health to integrate Traditional African Medicine into the Official Health System remains limited by the lack of reliable data on several aspects of this medicine. This study aims to determine the perceptions of the Lubumbashi population towards Traditional African Medicine and the contexts of recourse to these therapeutic modalities. We conducted semi-structured interviews of population samples in each of the 7 Lubumbashi municipalities, which were semi-randomly selected in proportions to each population size, from January to June 2017 and from February to July 2018. A total of 4278 people (average age, 32.1 ± 10.4 years; 36.5% of women) have been surveyed. Among them, 75.8% define "Traditional African Medicine" as "herbal-based treatments"; 79.4% have resorted to traditional medicine, for several pathologies and social problems. This medicine was preferred for efficiency, speed of healing and low cost, as well as the presence of the diseases against which it would be the only one used. Most, (52.1%) have started with Conventional Medicine, then resorted to Traditional African Medicine, 34.7% started directly with Traditional African Medicine, while 13.2% combined these two medicines. From those who have resorted to Traditional African Medicine (n = 3396), 55% declare no concern towards traditional medicine, while 42.5% fear looseness, overdose, intoxication, and lack of hygiene; from those who have not resorted to Traditional African Medicine (n = 882), 78% are fearful of fear looseness, witchcraft, and fetishism. Traditional African Medicine remains an important health care resource for the Lubumbashi people. It is essential that decision-makers consider the importance of this health sector for the population, but also the reported fears and hindrances, and work towards the regulation, sanitization, and control of this medicine to ensure its safe use.