By Zainab Mahamadi Kassim
MORONI, COMOROS — In the bustling heart of Moroni and the verdant valleys of the islands, an ancient wisdom is being woven into the fabric of modern healthcare. Traditional healers, long revered in Comorian society, are now collaborating with scientists and medical practitioners in a dynamic partnership—one driven by mutual respect and shared purpose.
“Our ancestors knew the secrets of the forest,” says herbalist Hajara Mohamed. “Today, we show we can make it part of tomorrow’s medicine.”
A Rich Pharmacopoeia Under Threat—and Revival
A groundbreaking ethnobotanical study found that 207 plant species, including nine endemics, are still used in Comorian traditional medicine—from treating colds to soothing rheumatism and malaria. However, modernization and habitat loss have placed this knowledge at risk.
Recognizing the urgency, researchers from the University of Liège and the Comorian National Herbarium have begun cataloging, sampling, and testing these herbal remedies for active pharmaceutical compounds.
Bridging Two Worlds: Healers and Hospitals
Since 2002, the Union of the Comoros has hosted a National Office of Traditional Medicine under its Ministry of Health. This office is facilitating the inclusion of traditional healers in public health initiatives—though legislation and formal training are still evolving.
Today, in remote areas like Moheli, primary care centers often refer patients to trusted herbal practitioners for adjunct therapy. Then, both clinics and traditional healers share ward rounds—discussing symptoms, remedies, and follow-up care. It’s an intercultural health model rarely seen elsewhere .
From Pharmacy Shelf to Lab Bench
Among the plants at the forefront is Phyllarthron comorense, or mvoudze, traditionally used to lower cholesterol. Under a UNDP–GEF reforestation project, its compound content is now being examined for cardiovascular therapy.
Similarly, species from the traditional Comorian tea blend—such as Plectranthus amboinicus and Moringa oleifera—are under biochemical analysis to isolate antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.
Empowering Practitioners and Public Health
The World Health Organization and regional partners are advising Comoros on regulating and training traditional practitioners. Ethical harvesting, dosage standards, and record-keeping are becoming standard practice—underscoring a shift from folklore to verifiable efficacy .
These advances complement a broader $35 million World Bank-funded COMPASS project, which enhances primary healthcare access across the islands, particularly focusing on women and children.
Guardians of Biodiversity and Knowledge
Comoros is recognized as a top-five global biodiversity hotspot, with a unique range of medicinal flora. The National Herbarium, along with rural reforestation schemes like “One Comorian, One Tree,” are safeguarding both the physical plants and the traditions they embody.
A Future of Collaborative Healing
In rural Ngazidja, healer-coach Dalila continues to treat fevers using cassava shoots while consulting with nurses in neighboring clinics—blending ancient rituals with modern diagnostics.
“Healing begins with trust,” she says. “And knowledge—passed down, tested, and shared—is the link that binds us.”
Comoros is charting a hopeful course: where oral tradition meets empirical research, and ancestral healers stand alongside medical doctors. In this union of medicinal heritage and modern science, the nation is proving that the path to wellness lies not in forgetting the past—but in embracing it.
Sources:
- Ethnobotanical survey: “Plants used in traditional medicine in the Comoros archipelago” caritas.org+4academicjournals.org+4pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+4paho.orgen.wikipedia.org+14popups.uliege.be+14researchgate.net+14
- National Office of Traditional Medicine under Ministry of Health bmjopen.bmj.com+1healthpolicy-watch.news+1
- Studies on Phyllarthron comorense under UNDP–GEF reforestation en.wikipedia.org+2undp.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2
- Health integration post-independence initiatives mexicohistorico.com+1undp.org+1
- Comorian tea antioxidant profiling mdpi.com+1researchgate.net+1
- COMPASS World Bank primary healthcare boost worldbank.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1
- Biodiversity hotspot status and species cataloging biodb.com+1popups.uliege.be+1
