[b]Medicinal plants at risk of extinction[/b]

By CYRUS KINYUNGU - East African Standard

Medicinal and aromatic plants could become extinct due to indiscriminate harvesting and deforestation.

The threat of extinction is worsened by agricultural activities, over exploitation of national forests and unfair world trade regulations, said Planning minister, Mr Henry Obwocha.

"Saving our medicinal plants resources is critical and calls for more protection, management and public awareness about our vanishing heritage," he said yesterday, while launching a public debate on the draft policy on traditional medicine and medicinal plants. World Health Organisation statistics show that about 80 per cent of Africans rely on traditional medicine.

He said Kenyans use conventional and traditional health care simultaneously for economic reasons and personal preferences.

"It is estimated that more than 70 per cent of the population rely on traditional medicine for their primary health care while over 90 per cent of the population has used medicinal plants at least once," he said.

Obwocha said the draft policy aims to facilitating effective use of traditional medicine within the context of official allopathic health care.

It also intends to ensure the sustainable utilisation, conservation, domestication and regulated trade of the medicinal plants.

He said it addresses the issue of safety, efficacy and quality control, commercial development and marketing, production and domestication and conservation. The policy proposes the establishment of a research body to undertake studies on traditional medicine and improve the existing knowledge. The ministries of Planning, Health, Environment, Agriculture, Trade and Industry and Gender will coordinate the public debate.