Herbalist claims HIV/AIDS cure
A female herbalist in Palapye, Nnuku Gladys Malebo has discovered an HIV/AIDS medicinal plant, which she is refusing to show to officials of the Ministry of Health.
She told this publication at her home in Palapye that she is not ready to share her secret with anyone including government. The herbalist said since the medicine which she avails in the form of powder, has passed both scientific and laboratory tests, “I do not see any reason why government would want to have access to the raw plants which I use.”
She fears that should they get access to the plant, “I would be cheated as they would claim it is them who discovered it.” She was shown the medicine by her maternal grandfather. Malebo claims that her herb can cure various types of cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and HIV/AIDS-related diseases.
She stated that the herb is a cocktail of seven medicinal plants. Malebo harvests the leaves and roots of a plant which she would not share with anyone but prefers to have the herb called ‘Seromobadimo’. She explained that the herb is taken with warm water or could be added to soft porridge and is taken three times a day.
“It can take you three weeks or up to three months if you are very sick. I sell Seromobadimo for P1 500 a packet the size of a small plastic coin bag used by banks. I have assisted people from around the country and from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia,” she said.
She explained, “I have asked government to work with me after the herb passed all the necessary tests. I want to provide them with the herb still in the form of the powder. But I guess with what they want to do, we are headed for a deadlock.
This is my indigenous knowledge and I have to protect it. The knowledge will be passed on to my grandchild the same way it was passed to me by my grandfather who was a herbalist”.
She said health ministry officials together with Dr Kerstin Andrae-Marobela, a cell biologist from University of Botswana recently contacted her regarding the raw plant. She said they have promised to come to Palapye to discuss the issue. But Malebo is not moved, she is not ready to give away ‘her life’.
She is adamant that if government will not agree to her terms she has her own customers and will continue to assist those who need her help.
In February 2014, Malebo exhibited Seromobadimo at the 5th SADC Indigenous Knowledge System Conference in Gaborone. Both health ministry and Dr Andrae-Marobela have not responded to questions sent to them last week Monday and Tuesday respectively.