Training Indigenous Herbal-based Health Care Practitioners for Sustainable Development

Transcription

1 Training Indigenous Herbal-based Health Care Practitioners for Sustainable Development Asia-Pacific Forum on Educational Cooperation: Synergies and Linkages of EFA, ESD and ASPnet for Sustainable Asia and the Pacific, Tokyo, February 19-21, 2011 Exchange of Market Ideas, February 21 Dominic M D Souza Laya, Visakhapatnam India Web: laya.org.in

2 Indigenous People s Context Remote outlying areas in AP, India Lack of access to mainstream health care Entrenchment of quacks Resource rich area Eroding traditional health knowledge systems Potential for access to affordable effective health care service

3 Rationale for Herbal Based Medicine for Sustainable Health Care Herbal based health care is a viable and sustainable response Source of the medicine is abundantly available from the forests of this region Use of herbal medicines has been an integral part of adivasi culture It is particularly effective for common illnesses It is easily learned, reliable, efficient and accessible, and affordable

4 Objectives of the Sustainable Development Programme To safeguard the natural resource base of herbal medicine and upgrade, develop data base on medicinal plants and traditional knowledge systems on herbal medicine; 2. To promote the use of herbal medicines in health care and extend outreach at the local level; 3. To train tribal youth for developing a cadre of herbal-based health care paraprofessionals. 4. To upgrade the knowledge and skills of Traditional Health Practitioners;

5 Objectives of the Sustainable Development Programme To promote Vanantharam as Resource Centre to develop recognition and identity of herbal based medicinal system; 6. To facilitate collective action of traditional herbal practitioners to protect and promote herbal medicine; 7. To campaign on critical issues relating to current systems of health care; 8. To advocate for policy change to ensure safe, effective and affordable health; 9. To respond to the special health needs of vulnerable groups.

6 Strategy Increase Access to Health Care Initiate Health Care Centers Respond to Life threatening Diseases Promote use of herbal medicine in Adivasi Areas Health Camps on Weekly Market Days Promotion of Herbal Medicine in common spaces Awareness workshops with focused groups on herbal base medicine

7 Proactive Actions Herbal Gardens Campaign to protect endangered medicinal plants Promoting collective leadership of new and existing Herbal Based Health practitioners Legitimizing traditional adivasi medicine practice Documentation toward value addition of herbal based medicine and dissemination

8 Preventive and Improved Health Conditions in Adivasi Context Nutrition Awareness on epidemic diseases Video Documentaries Audio Programmes Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS Strengthening existing traditional systems of herbal-based health care delivery Skill up-gradation of Traditional Health Practitioners (THP) Intensive training of Young Community Health Practitioners (CHP) Promote and Protect Natural Resource base for Herbal Medicine

9 Objectives of the Training Programme To create a viable alternative for access to affordable health care which is culturally congruent to indigenous lifestyles To train young health activists with appropriate knowledge and skills to practice herbal based health care in their own villages To sustain this practice by creating organic links between CHPs and THPs in the region

10 Criteria for selection of trainees 1. Assess motivation: attitude and interest in traditional (herbal-based) medicine 2. Identify trainees from interior villages 3. Limit to one trainee from a village 4. Give priority to women (ensure 50% of women s participation) 5. Identify trainees from vulnerable communities: Konda Reddy (PTG), Koya Doras 6. Education qualification: 5 th - to 10 th class (in special cases ensure literacy through crash literacy program)

11 Training Programme: key aspects Duration: 6 months intensive training activity Learners: Indigenous youth (mostly school drop outs): age between years, number:10-15; Content: knowledge and skill focused; Methodology: inputs, observation and exposure, learning by doing and accompaniment; Trainers: facilitators, professionals, trained CHPs and THPs.

12 Content of training programme Context and rationale Human Anatomy Disease diagnosis, medicines and treatment Preparation of medicines and Preservation of prepared medicine Identification of medicinal plants and collection of herbs

13 Methodology: Key Aspects 1. Orientation on context and rationale 2. Monthly Plan: Input and skill based sessions for 6 days 5 days of apprenticeship with THPs Home assignments on the remaining days 3. Special exposure visit on identification and use of medicinal plants 4. Feedback and evaluation Test after each module Mid-term evaluation for course correction after 3 months Final evaluation, course completion certificates, medical kits and medicine preparation instruments.

14 Follow up of training programme Visit to villages: support practice Engage trained CHPs in health camps Periodic Review meetings Contacts with peer team: CHPs Referral links with THPs

15 Input session on human anatomy by professional doctors

16 Inputs on diagnosis of diseases

17 Practical session on identification of plants for medicinal purposes

18 Identifying medicinal plants in the forest

19 Health camp: trainees observe and learn diagnosis skills

20 Practical training session for medicine preparation

21 Interaction with the Ayurvedic Doctor

22 Nursery for community herbal gardens

23 Herbal medicine preparation

24 Graduation Day

25 Graduation Day: Another batch

26 Trainees establish community health centres post training

27 Ex-trainees provide health care at weekly market places