Challenges and Opportunities of Plants and Animals Medicine as Primary Health Care among the Oromo, Ethiopia: The Case of Gidda Kumbi Village of Nedjo District in Western Ethiopia

Fraol Hailu Olana

Abstract: In this paper, the opportunities of medicinal plants as primary health care and challenges of medicinal plants and animals in the context of sustainability and safety in GiddaKumbi village of Nedjo district in western Oromia region of Ethiopia are discussed. Villager’s reason out why they prefer medicinal plants and animals as primary health care instead of biomedicine and also some members of the village raise challenges related to medicinal plants and animals on its sustainability, and safety. The data were collected both from primary (FGD, case study and informal interview) and secondary sources. The research has revealed the opportunities of using medicinal plants and animals as primary health care and challenges related to sustainability of the knowledge, and safety of medicinal plants and animals.

Keywords: Plants Medicine, Animals Medicine, Opportunities, Challenges