Thank you very much for inviting me to contribute an article for your December 2001 issue of Seleda which you said focuses on HIV/AIDS.

Here, we frequently go to funerals of people who have died of HIV/AIDS. Last week, I was at one. The deceased was the brother of a close friend of ours. I noticed a young woman who was crying with a great deal of bitterness and extraordinary emotion. When I was told she was his wife, I realized that she was also crying for herself.

I was in Egypt and Turkey last month. I was surprised to learn that HIV/AIDS is a rare phenomenon in those countries. You hardly meet anyone who knows of a person who died of AIDS. Indeed, in a recent issue of National Geographic, almost all of the North African Countries (where Muslims are the great majority) are almost free from HIV/AIDS. Somalia was also marked as free from this scourge. But Ethiopia is among the three most affected countries in Africa (if not of the world). Why is this? I do not know the answer. Each Ethiopian should contemplate this.

A few months back, I had a discussion with representatives of two NGOs: Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) and Dawn of Hope, both involved in the area of HIV/AIDS. These organizations are interested in finding out how traditional medicines could be used to alleviate the condition of people suffering from HIV/AIDS. I learned that the three most serious problems their clients suffer from were mouth thrush, skin rashes and diarrhea. In fact Ato Zewdu, who is one of the officers at Dawn of Hope, said that finding cures for these ailments was almost like finding a cure for AIDS. Mouth sores hinder patients from eating and the other two ailments are also extremely debilitating.

As I am now a licensed producer and distributor of herbal products, we developed a natural mouthwash, by distilling well known herbs that are valued for their antiseptic and wound healing properties, such as thyme, myrrh, clove, etc. The mouthwash was distributed to several people who come to the clinics and was found to be very effective. A report on our products by MMM (July 24, 2001), stated: "44 clients were very happy with the mouthwash, saying that they are able to eat without any problems." We also formulated a skin care lotion using frankincense and other essential oils and have received the report that "19 people have tried this lotion and are very happy."

However, the formula we created to treat diarrhea was not successful. Our formula was based on a resin we obtained from the Ogaden. This resin is used by the Somali people as a cure for diarrhea. They take some 5g of the resin, boil it in one liter of water and the mixture is drunk by the patient. The resin was the subject of a Ph.D. thesis by a Swedish student who was involved in the study of the Medicinal Plants of Somalia and the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. He found that it had active principles that block the contractions of smooth muscles. We also studied the resin and confirmed that it has indeed such effects on smooth muscles. That was our rationale for suggesting this medicine for those suffering from diarrhea.

The deceased person I mentioned in the first paragraph did request this medicine when he was suffering from severe diarrhea. We provided the medication, but the results were not so encouraging. Hence the need to look for alternative natural anti-diarrhea medicines.

As most of the clients of the NGOs mentioned above are poor, the above products were initially given to their patients free of charge. Regrettably we were not able to continue providing the products free of charge. Those who are informed and those who can afford it come to our shop, "Ariti Herbal Products," from time to time to buy the mouthwash and skin care preparation. If Seleda readers or others would like to sponsor an initiative for providing the above effective medicines to patients at MMM or Dawn of Hope, we certainly can revitalize that project.

Yours truly,

Ermias Dagne

Nov. 25, 2001, Addis Ababa