THE DANGEROUS CYCLE: Why Overdependence on Herbs Is Destroying Rural Health in Nigeria

INTRODUCTION

In many rural communities like Ette and others across Nigeria, a dangerous health pattern is silently claiming lives. People depend heavily on unqualified chemists, herbal mixtures, and spiritual sacrifices instead of seeking early professional medical care. What starts as a minor illness often ends in death—not because it could not be treated—but because it was handled the wrong way.

THE COMMON SCENARIO IN OUR VILLAGES

1. Chemists Seen as Doctors:

Most rural residents see chemists as doctors and nurses. These chemists, often unlicensed, give drugs without any proper diagnosis.

2. When Drugs Fail, Herbs Take Over:

When the wrongly prescribed drugs do not work, families turn to herbs—boiling leaves, roots, and mixtures that have no dosage, no regulation, and no scientific backing.

3. When Herbs Fail, It Becomes ‘Spiritual’:

When the patient worsens, people begin to say: "This is not an ordinary sickness."

They stop all medical care and run to shrines or native priests for sacrifices and rituals.

4. The Final Result Is Death:

Eventually, the illness reaches a point of no return. A life that could have been saved in a clinic is lost—painfully and unnecessarily.

MAJOR CONSEQUENCES OF THIS CYCLE

❌ Delayed Diagnosis and Treatment

Diseases like malaria, typhoid, infections, cancer, and HIV become worse without medical care.

❌ Organ Damage from Herbal Toxicity

Many herbs damage the liver and kidneys over time—especially when mixed with alcohol or taken excessively.

❌ Loss of Pregnant Mothers and Babies

Traditional birth attendants and herbal drinks during pregnancy lead to complications, prolonged labour, or stillbirths.

❌ Spread of Superstition and Fear

Communities become more loyal to shrine rituals than to hospital care, blocking health progress.

❌ Missed Immunization and Preventive Care

Children miss vaccines. Adults miss health screenings. Entire families suffer avoidable health problems.

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?

✅ Educate the community about the dangers of unregulated herbal use

✅ Encourage early visits to clinics and hospitals

✅ Correct the belief that every sickness is spiritual

✅ Regulate chemists and train local health volunteers

✅ Support clinics like Elitecare that offer patient-centered, modern care

FINAL WORD FROM ELITECARE

> Not all sickness is spiritual. Not every herb is healing. Not all chemists are doctors. And not every delay is safe.

We urge every family in Ette and beyond:

Seek early help. Trust trained professionals. Save lives.

By Peter Onoja

Founder, Elitecare Clinic and Maternity

VISIT ELITECARE CLINIC TODAY

📍 Location: Ette, Igbo-Eze North LGA, Enugu State

📞 Phone: +234 905 552 0428

💬 Facebook Page: [Elitecare Clinic and Maternity]