Chapters in Books (UNP)

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Browsing Chapters in Books (UNP) by Author "Dushimemaria, Florence"

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    Indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants used for the treatment of cancer
    (University of Namibia Press, 2015) Dushimemaria, Florence; Mumbengegwi, Davis R.; Bock, Ronnie A.
    The global burden of cancer continues to increase in both developed and developing countries. This is largely attributed to a growing aged population as both the numbers of people and life expectancies increase. Another important factor is the adoption of lifestyles that increase the risk of developing cancer (Jemal et al., 2011). Lifestyle choices, such as smoking tobacco, consuming alcohol, being physically inactive and eating unhealthily, contribute to the upsurge in cancer cases. Siegel, Naishadham and Jemal (2012) estimated that about 1,638,910 new incidences of cancer and about 577,190 deaths due to cancer occurred worldwide in 2012. They further estimated that 56% of the cancer cases and 64% of cancer-related deaths occurred in developing countries (Jemal et al., 2011), indicating that the developing world is gradually having to shoulder more of the burden and where cancer survival rates tend to be lower.
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    The use of traditional medicinal plants as antimicrobial treatments
    (University of Namibia Press, 2015) Mumbengegwi, Davis R.; Du Preez, Iwanette C.; Dushimemaria, Florence; Auala, Joyce R.; Nafuka, Sylvia N.
    Microbial infections are a major cause of morbidity and sometimes mortality, especially in developing countries such as Namibia. Severe poverty is the root cause of this undesirable situation as it leads to malnutrition, inadequate sanitation and consumption of unclean food and drink. This, compounded by lack of education and access to primary healthcare, results in infections by microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa (Table 4.1). The most vulnerable to infectious diseases caused by microbial agents are children under the age of five, where 66% of deaths in this age group are a result of such diseases; 34% of all deaths are attributed to infectious diseases. This was underscored by WHO’s (World Health Organization’s) Regional Director for Africa, Luis Gomes Sambo, in 2011 when he said 63% of deaths on the continent were caused by microbial infections, with HIV/AIDS accounting for 38.5% of these (Anon, 2012). Thus, the most vulnerable groups are young children and individuals whose immune systems are compromised by HIV infection (Table 4.2). Community-acquired bacteraemia is a major cause of death in children at rural sub-Saharan district hospitals. A study by Berkley et al. (2005) showed that 12.8% of infants younger than 60 days had bacteraemia. Escherichia coli and group b streptococcus were the predominant infectious agents.