THE INTERSECTION OF TRADITIONAL AND CONVENTIONAL MEDICINES: HEALTH WORKERS’ AWARENESS OF HERB-DRUG INTERACTION IN KABWE URBAN, ZAMBIA

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This study aimed to assess the awareness of the interaction between herbal medicines and conventional medication among health workers in Kabwe and how this influenced their healthcare provision. The current increase in the use of herbal medicines can result in herb-drug interactions, which could remain unidentified due to the limited knowledge of healthcare providers on herb-drug interactions and its effects. The views of health personnel on the matter, and the concern about the consumers of the medicines, formed part of the assessment. The researchers used questionnaires, interviews and desk research to gather the relevant data. Responses were received from the 40 respondents to whom the questionnaire was administered, and 10 participants in the interviews indicated that even though the majority of the respondents /participants knew about the availability and use of herbal medicines, some of them had limited knowledge of the safety and effects of herb-drug interactions. The study concluded that the limitation in the knowledge of herb-drug interactions among some health workers was detrimental to the health of the common citizenry who continuously consumed herbal medicines concurrently with prescribed conventional ones. The non-disclosure of herbal medicine use by patients to their physicians exacerbated the seriousness of the concerns raised. Researchers recommend the need to sensitise the local community in Kabwe on the safety and effects of herb-drug interactions, health workers training institutions to incorporate the subject of herb-drug interactions in the curricula and to subject the supply of herbal medicines to the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA).