Zimbabwean firm fights cancer using traditional medicine

Herbal Wellbeing has scaled up advances in cancer treatment by using traditional medicines, a senior official has said.

Senior traditional medicine practitioner Newton Mudzingwa said they treat all infections affecting the body using detoxification and cleaners.

He said their products include immune modulators and blood boosters adding that they also pay attention to management and treatment of fungal infections, skin rashes, sores and herpes.

"More important, we manage and treat all types of cancers," he said.

He said traditional cancer medicine can cost a nominal $100 to $500 depending on the stage of the patient, whereas the medical side would cost between $4 000 and $10 000 just for medical investigations which include CT scans and blood tests, well before commencement of treatment.

"Full treatment course may come up to $35 000 and $40 000, which involve chemotherapy and related procedures," he said.

Mudzingwa said cancer has always been curable traditionally in Zimbabwe based on the behaviour of the mole, nhuta or imvukuzane.

He said many people do not believe in traditional medicine, preferring western type of medicine which include chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which makes the cancer aggressive and spread fast after the procedure.

"Society has to change attitudes towards traditional medicines and approaches of treatment," Mudzingwa said.

He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has since prescribed symbol guidelines and the ministry of Health and Child Care's Department of Traditional Medicine supports traditional medicines with vibrant legislation supported by Sadc, African Union and WHO.

"We believe society needs to come out in full support of traditional medicine," Mudzingwa said.

"Also, we believe that the medical side needs to move with time and give the patient the opportunity to choose the care they want." He added that they also treat women's diseases, paying attention to period pains, irregular bleeding, infertility and fibroids, and this based on no operation.

Herbal Wellbeing also treats and manages men's diseases, by paying attention to erectile dysfunction, low libido and prostate cancer, without operation.

He said they also treat arthritis, back pain, coughing, sore throat, asthma, diabetes 2, allergies and many more, including hot legs, swollen legs, BP, peripheral neuropathy and stroke.

"Our services are phenomenal in terms of response. We also cure everything except HIV/Aids, although it's traditionally manageable," he said.

He said many conditions were curable with traditional medicines, which forms the basis of the antagonism between traditional and the pharmaceutical side.

"We have trained health personnel manning our countrywide operations, meeting patients' needs and demands," he said.

He also said there was need to debunk the myth that traditional medicines and approaches were linked to n'angas and the spiritual world.