Medicinal plant use in and around kibangu fores1 Kinondoni District Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania.
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Date
2009-07
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Kampala International University, School of Engineering and Applied Science
Abstract
This study examines medicinal plants and the extent to which they are used in meeting heath care needs in Kinondoni District, Kibangu Forest reserve in Tanzania. It aimed at documenting the most common Medicinal Plants (MP) in order to generate necessary data on knowledge, beliefs and accessibility of the community to assess whether they may be among the determinants for using medicinal plants. A questionnaire survey, market survey, literature review and observations were used to collect information from the people and the field. A total of twelve (12) Medicinal Plants where identified. Many of the Medicinal remedies were double therapies preparations. Analytically, qualitative and quantitative data was done using software which included MS Excel and contents method in which only ideals were recorded and put into meaning in accordance the study. Quantitative data was tested using Chi-square to test its efficacy. The study shows that most people in the area have no knowledge on collection, preparations, dosage and identification of the most Medicinal plant remedies where by 68 respondents had knowledge while 205 respondents had no knowledge of medicinal plant use. The community members believe in the power of Medicinal plants in preventing and controlling diseases and infections. The study concluded that, medicinal plants play an important role in providing primary healthcare to the rural communities and poor urban people; however community knowledge on the medicinal plant use was cited as the hindrance to the full utilization of the medicinal plants in the study area. It is recommended that in achieving the use of medicinal plants available, communities adjacent to the forest reserve should be sensitized on the importance of sustainable use of medicinal plants through seminars, workshops, drama, music or video shows and establishment of small scale industrial development organizations to process medicinal plant products.0000000000
Description
A thesis report submitted to the school of post graduate studies (SPGS), in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the award of a master’s degree in environmental management and development of Kampala International University
Keywords
Medicinal plant