Zimbabwean teachers rely on traditional medicine

Binga teachers are reportedly relying on indigenous medicine to treat serious ailments, including snake bites, because of limited access to health institutions.

The teachers made the revelations at a just-ended workshop on disaster risk management for Binga schools held in Victoria Falls by the Civil Protection Unit (CPU).

CPU taught participants from the remote district ways to nurse victims of snake bites and other ailments.

The participants were advised to send victims of snake bites to health institutions, but teachers said this was impossible.

"You are saying that we must immediately take them to hospital but how?" asked one of the teachers.

"We do not have health institutions and there is usually no transport.

"This is why we prefer to use our indigenous knowledge systems.

The teacher from Bunsiwa Primary School said traditional healers played a crucial role in the absence of health institutions.

Another teacher from Tshilelema Primary School said the area had a lot of snakes and bees, but the people had no access to health centres.