“We Cure Sickle Cell Disease with Herbs”: Perspectives of Herbal Medicine Practitioners Treating Sickle Cell Disease in the Acholi SubRegion
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Date
2025-07-28
Journal Title
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Publisher
DovePress, Taylor & Francis Group
Abstract
Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that results in the deformation of red blood cells under low oxygen
conditions, causing vaso-occlusive crises and severe complications. While hydroxyurea has been introduced as a treatment for SCD,
herbal medicines remain widely used across Africa. Northern Uganda has a high SCD prevalence of 20.5%, yet limited research exists
on alternative treatment options within local communities. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of herbal medicine practitioners in the Acholi sub-region.
Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews between October and December 2024 involving 24 herbal medicine practitioners in the
Acholi sub-region, selected through referrals and non-probability snowball sampling. All data collected were recorded, transcribed
verbatim, and analyzed using thematic content analysis, and emerging themes were presented.
Results: All participants believed herbal medicine could cure SCD, and the majority reported successfully treating patients. However,
some practitioners remembered some patients who reported being sick with sickle cell crises many years after the “cure”. “When they
report improvement, I stop medication after some time…” thereafter, “I encourage them to go to the hospital, but they do not. They can
stay without falling sick for a long time and declare themselves healed”. Findings suggest herbal medicines are commonly used for
SCD management in the Acholi sub-region. Most herbal medicine practitioners rely on the hospital diagnoses, although a few can tell
who has sickle cell disease by looking at or touching them. A lot of mistrust exists between herbal medicine practitioners, the
government, and researchers. This hinders efforts to integrate traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare and limits opportunities
for scientific validation.
Conclusion: Herbal medicine practitioners believe herbs can treat sickle cell disease; however, further research is needed to
investigate the nature of these herbs and their mechanisms of action, thereby facilitating the integration of herbal medicine into
conventional care. We discuss some implications of the study for practice and policy
Description
Keywords
sickle cell disease, herbal medicine, alternative treatment, traditional medicine, Northern Uganda, Africa
Citation
Silvia Awor et al. Safety and efficacy of herbal medicines for the management of sickle cell disease in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PAMJ-One Health. 2024;15(22). 10.11604/pamj-oh.2024.15.22.42915