Is the use of conventional medicines a potential solution for Kenya's diabetes epidemic?

In Kenya, the Ministry of Health is on the brink of updating policy recommendations for diabetes treatment and other conditions, as the number of diabetes cases in the country continues to rise.

Over the past 4 decades, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has been researching traditional medicines, including herbal remedies, in an effort to find cost-effective solutions to manage diabetes. This research has led to significant breakthroughs, with studies showing the potential of indigenous plants to lower blood sugar levels and protect pancreatic beta cells from damage.

One such study, led by Esther Matu-Macharia, deputy director at KEMRI's Centre for Community Driven Research, found that extracts from two aloe plants indigenous to Kenya were effective in reducing blood sugar levels in diabetic mice and protecting pancreatic beta cells.

Moses Muthomi, an herbalist in Nairobi, has developed five herbal remedies for diabetes treatment and has successfully treated around 100 people. His remedies, which range in cost from 3,900 shillings ($30) to 10,060 shillings ($78) for a 48-day course of treatment, offer a more affordable alternative to conventional diabetes care in Kenya.

Despite these promising developments, traditional healers like Muthomi face challenges in commercializing their treatments due to policy gaps. Kenya lacks a framework for integrating traditional remedies into its health policies, making it difficult for herbalists to reach a wider audience and for patients to access these treatments.

Fridah Muthomi, a diabetes patient, found the cost of insulin and hospital check-ups too costly and turned to herbal treatment. Paul Kiplangat, a former public health official, also experienced side effects from prescribed Type 2 diabetes medication and switched to herbal medicine, experiencing improvement in his health after three months.

Elsa Morandat, head of policy and programme at the World Diabetes Foundation, highlights that access to diabetes care in low- and middle-income countries is a major challenge due to cost and lack of proper equipment. Only one percent of health expenditure in Africa goes to diabetes care, the lowest investment rate in the world.

The U.N. Foundation's Ouma is hopeful that Kenya will put forth regulations incorporating traditional knowledge to address public health safety concerns and boost access to treatment. As Africa is projected to have the highest global increase in people living with diabetes between now and 2045, it is crucial that the country finds sustainable and affordable solutions to manage the disease.

Treating diabetes is costly in Kenya, with a vial of rapid-acting insulin costing around 4,300 shillings, or U.S. $33, and a patient requiring three to four vials monthly. The increasing number of diabetes cases and the lack of affordable treatment options make it essential for Kenya to consider integrating traditional remedies into its health policies.

KEMRI is pursuing its research on traditional treatments for diabetes due to their much lower cost and the prevalence of traditional healers managing patients in many parts of the country. With the Ministry of Health set to update its policy recommendations, there is hope that traditional approaches to diabetes treatment will become a part of the public health toolkit in Kenya.

Is the use of conventional medicines a potential solution for Kenya's diabetes epidemic?