For the majority of the Ugandan population, traditional natural medicine (TNM) is the usual and only affordable access to primary healthcare. Medicines obtained from plants play a prominent role in this. The assessment of the purity of the plant species used as well as recommendations for use and effectiveness are based on oral traditions. Despite the high demand for TNM, there is little scientific data available.
With the BLP project, Saxony is supporting its partner country Uganda in the development and commercialisation of medicine from traditional medicinal plants with university knowledge on the development of medicinal active ingredients.
The aim of the project is to improve the utilisation of medicinal plants and to open up new sources of income for the rural population, especially women, through the cultivation and sale of plants for traditional medicine production.
As a result of the project, a medical wound spray made from traditional medicinal plants will be developed and produced, which will be used to demonstrate an exemplary value chain for the commercial use of traditional medicinal plants with product development/design and, if necessary, the authorisation process from the producers of the plant material to (intermediate) traders and end customers. The experience gained from this business use case will be documented and shared in a guideline.