Ethiopia - Traditional Medicine and the Bridge to Better Health

The majority of Ethiopians depend on
medical plants as their only source of health care,
especially in rural areas where access to villages is
lacking due to the absence of vehicular roads. The
increasing scarcity of medicinal plant species represents a
trend that should be immediately addressed. The health and
drug policies of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health recognize
the important role medical plants and traditional health
systems play in health care. Unfortunately little has been
done in recent decades to enhance and develop the beneficial
aspects of traditional medicine including related research
and its gradual integration into modern medicine. With the
World Bank assistance, the Ethiopian government will soon
start to implement the first conservation and sustainable
use of medical plants project in Sub-Saharan Africa. The
overall objective of the project is to initiate support for
conservation, management, and sustainable use of medicinal
plants for human and livestock health care.