Steviana, Vol. 10(2), 2018

Popular medicine and primary health care (PHC): 35 years of TRAMIL experience in the Caribbean.(abstract)

The primary health care, strategy for the promotion of wellbeing and holistic health, equity and social, cultural and economic development of communities requires practical and socially acceptable methods. One of these methods is the use of scientifically validated herbal remedies for the prevention and healing of common ailments. Health Agencies could benefit from validated popular knowledge intended for the training and qualification of healthcare professionals. The objective of this article is to trace TRAMIL Network trajectory of 35 years, the challenges and con-tributions to PHC in four areas applied to the medicinal flora of the Caribbean Basin: a) scientific validation, b) dissemination and training, c) assessment, conservation, and cultivation of re-sources and d) strengthening of national and regional networks. The article also describes how the Caribbean Herbal Pharmacopeia, the synthesis of the research achieved, a biodiversity assessment model and a dissemination document, has contributed to promoting the objectives of the network.

Keywords: Primary health care (PHC), TRAMIL, Caribbean Basin, safety and efficacy of medicinal plants