Secrets of Mindanao forests? COTABATO VILLAGE MEDICINE MAN SERVES HERBAL CURE FOR DENGUE

n spite of the findings made by the Department of Science and Technology that the herb “Tawa-tawa” could provide relief to Dengue victims, the Department of Health has downplayed its benefits and efficacy.

“Tawa-tawa not proven cure for Dengue,” ssys the DOH.

So was Dengvaxia!

But government spent billions and launched a national immunization program which is now being blamed for the death of many children.

I cannot seem to understand this bias against herbal medicine.

So-called health experts seem to have forgotten that our ancestors lived and survived by relying on herbal medicine.

As a young boy who grew up in the farm, I was taught by my grandparents how to identify plants which could provide relief.

There’s a plant which when squeezed in a wound would stop the bleeding and a flower which could ease a toothache.

Why am I commenting on this issue?

It is because the new area which I am now tasked to oversee still has rainforests where plants reputed to have medicinal value grow in abundance.

One of these plants is being used by a very popular village medicine man in the town of Antipas, my home province of North Cotabato, to cure Dengue victims.

Several of my workers in the farm who had Dengue sought the help of this village herbal medicine man and were relieved.

They said they were made to drink a bottle of water used to boil the herb.

While the accounts are purely anecdotal, I have not heard of a case of a Dengue patient who drank the village medicine man’s concoction who was not cured.

We cannot just brush off these anecdotal accounts and brand him as a quack doctor.

There is a need for scientists to look into this.

What herb is this medicine man using to cure Dengue patients?

If the herb is proven to be effective then why should government spend billions for a foreign-manufactured synthetic medicine?

Let us just use this money to plant more of this herb then maybe the Philippines could be the source of an effective herbal cure for Dengue.

I will visit the village medicine man this weekend to know more about his concoction and to talk to the patients who line up in front of his house daily.

#NatureHoldsTheCure!

#ForestsBestKeptSecrets!