Book on medicinal plants guide for ‘doctors to the barrios’

PURCHASE of the book will help poor residents of Samar receive primary healthcare.

Philippine herbal medicine turns a new leaf with the launch of the book “The Best 100 Philippine Medicinal Plants.”

Launched September 29 at The Gallery of Greenbelt 5, the book was written by Jaime Z. “Dok Jimmy” Galvez Tan, MD, MPH, and Isidro C. “Sid” Sia, MD, PhD.

The book reveals World Health Organization estimates that 80 percent of the world’s population currently use herbal medicines in primary healthcare. According to the book, “Herbal medicines are often used as the first line of treatment for many diseases because of their accessibility and availability, as well as affordability when compared with modern pharmacologic products.”

It continues: “The Philippine policy on universal healthcare, also referred as Kalusugan Pangkalahatan, promotes the integration of herbal and traditional medicine with conventional medicine to improve access to quality and universal healthcare. Being one of the biodiversity hotspots in the planet, (the) Philippines is home to more than 1,500 identified medicinal plants, of which 177 are on the research list of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development.”

Jeremiah S. Calderon, MD, a member of Batch 30 of the government’s Doctors to the Barrios program and assigned to Matuginao in Samar, remarked, “(The book) is a most valuable tool for doctors-to-the-barrios, municipal health officers and health practitioners in disadvantaged areas where access to medicines and technology is limited.”

At the launch titled “Sowing Seeds of Wellness—The Best Philippine Medicinal Plants Book Launch,“ the book was already offered for sale, the entire proceeds of which would go to the construction of Alaga Ka (Alay sa Ginhawa at Kalusugan) Barangay Health Station in Capul, Northern Samar, that provides access to primary healthcare to more than 6,000 residents. “Dok Jimmy” singled out Samar as close to his heart, as he served as its “doctor to the barrio” over 30 years ago.

Wellness communities

The launch was part of Health Futures Foundation Inc.’s thrust of creating communities of wellness, which Galvez Tan founded 15 years ago. In his opening speech, Dok Jimmy introduced Alaga Ka, a banner project of Health Futures Foundation Inc. Alaga Ka is dedicated to rehabilitating dilapidated barangay health stations to provide primary healthcare in fourth- and fifth-class municipalities in the Philippines.

HOST RIVA Galvez-Tan and Dok Jimmy at the book launch

The short program was hosted by Riva M. Galvez Tan, a holistic health and natural health advocate. She manages her own company that focuses on developing and promoting innovative products made from Philippine medicinal plants.

The program also featured “A Taste of Wellness” portion wherein Dok Jimmy demonstrated mouth-watering recipes using Philippine medicinal plants as main ingredients, namely: “Ensalada Filipina,” his unique concoction of KKMSS (kangkong, kamote tops, malunggay, saluyot, and sili leaves); and “Tropical Fruit & Nut Salad” served by Serye Café Filipino. The salads are available all year-round in Serye. Chef Reggie Aspiras also contributed her own creation, the ampalaya and kamote tops salad with sweet chili tamarind dressing. Fish rolls wrapped in lettuce and special banana turon from Mesa were served as well.

“Our natural resource has served as an indispensable tool that has shaped our traditional health beliefs and culture in general. At present, our medicinal plants have the potential to be at the forefront of new developments in the field of medicine and health sciences. By strengthening our present knowledge on available data regarding these medicinal plants, we are taking the first few steps in determining how they play a more meaningful role in our lives,” wrote Galvez Tan and Sia in the introduction.

The book will be available in National Book Store and Fully Booked. For now, it can be bought from Health Futures Foundation for P1,000. For inquiries, email [email protected]/healthfuturesfoundation.com.