KABUL (Pajhwok): A number of infertile women say their families instead of taking them to specialist doctor for treatment give them herbals while doctors insist self-medication and the use of herbals is harmful to health.
Infertility has different reasons and it creates problems in the lives of people, with some couples using medical treatment and some herbal medicines.
Shakira Mohammadi, a resident of central Parwan province, who married four years ago is yet to have a child.
She told Pajhwok Afghan News: “After six months of our marriage, I did not get pregnant. From the very beginning of our marriage, my mother-in-law said that I should have a child sooner. Since I noticed that I am not getting pregnant, I had to use all kinds of herbal remedies.”
She said as she was forced to use herbals, saying that self-medication not only did not give a positive result but she developed stomach problems.
She added: “I used cinnamon, liquorice, asparagus, carrot seed and other herbals, but none of them helped. My in-laws would prepare any kind of drugs and I had to eat it.”
Shakira, who complained of severe stomach pain, says the doctors attributed her stomach problems to the self-medication and herbs.
Muzhgan, 25, a resident Shahr-i-Kohna area of Kabul, used herbals for five consecutive years in order to get pregnant, but it yielded no positive result.
She went to Shafajo private clinic for treatment and said: “I ate all kinds of herbal medicine for five years, but it did not have any effect.”
According to her, his mother-in-law did not allow her to go to the doctor for treatment, but finally they agreed to take her to the doctor and start medical treatment.
Doctors also rejected self-medication through herbal remedies.
Dr. MalalaiFaizi, obstetrician and gynecologist and head of MalalaiZezhanton (maternity hospital), told Pajhwok infertility had various factors and mostly solved through medical treatment.
She rejected the willful use of herbals, adding that there was no specific factory or department for the herbals in Afghanistan or to research on it with most of it carried out by unprofessional individuals.
According to her, most of the women use herbals, saying: “I haven’t seen any woman that got pregnant after using herbals.”
Dr. Faizi said: “Usually herbals have not been researched, we had patients with high stomach acids due to using herbals, the poor women are forced to eat the bitter medicines.”
She advised women who use herbal medicines: “Don’t harm yourself with herbal medicines, if there is any problem, consult with a doctor, because medicine is advanced.”
Najm-ul-Safa Shafajo, another specialist, shared similar opinion and said there were few professionals who worked in herbal drugs in Afghanistan.
He said in most countries, professional training was given to those who work in herbal drugs and even universities have been established in this sector.
According to Shafajo, there is no school, university or education institution in Afghanistan that teaches about herbal medicines.
According to her, willful use of herbal medicines would cause some disease for the consumer.
At the same time, Hakim MohammadullahChakari, deputy head of the National Union of Herbal Medicine in Afghanistan, told Pajhwok that currently there was no higher education institution or faculty in the country that trains herbalists.
He said that several years ago, a training course was created by the union.
According to him, in the course about 400 people were trained for six months every year, but after the fall of the previous government, these courses were deactivated. But he said that they would soon decide to activate these courses again.
sa/ma
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