There is growing evidence in all African communities of the efficacy and acceptability of herbal medicine.
Herbs grow everywhere and are inexpensive to collect.
In view of the current crisis in the provision of modern health care in most African countries, there is every reason to promote a knowledge and understanding of which type of herb is used for treating which ailment in the various communities. This article describes three approaches African governments can adopt in order to supplement primary health care and to counteract the present crisis in the provision of health care. Early men lived in harmony with their environment. Differing climatic and topographic conditions all over the world gave rise to different vegetation, leading to the use of different traditional herbs to treat similar ailments in various parts of the world. And in the different communities this traditional healing system, which developed over a long period of time, has been passed down from one generation to another by word of mouth.