Caregivers Use of Herbal Medicines in Managing Diarrhea in Children Under the Age of Five Years at Kavango East Region, Namibia

Herbal medicines refers to plants and plant materials that are used to prevent or treat illnesses based on the indigenous knowledge and cultural practices. Declaration of Alma Ata and Astona recognized herbal medicine as part of the primary healthcare. Approximately 80% of the global population depends on herbal medicines for primary health care especially in developing countries. The study assessed the caregivers use of herbal medicines in managing diarrhea among children under the age of five at Outpatient department, Intermediate Hospital Rundu, Kavango East Region. The study used quantitative approach, descriptive and cross-sectional designs. A systematic sampling technique of random sampling method was used to employ 400 caregivers. The researcher administered five rated Likert scaled questionnaires to caregivers to collect data. Data was prepared and entered into SPSS version 29 for analysis. Majority of respondents use herbal medicines to treat diarrhea in children. This pose a health threat to children as the interaction, dosages and efficacy of herbs being used are not clinically established. Thus, emphasis on regulations and quality control measures on the use of herbal medicines is needed.