Plantas medicinais e fitoterápicos no município de Marapanim-PA: qualificação da atenção básica e desenvolvimento local

Abstract

Medicinal plants in the Amazon have always had an important role, because they are used as one of the major therapeutic resources in disease treatments. The city of Marapanim-PA is 161 Km from the State capital of Pará and is characterized by presenting, through information obtained by its inhabitants, great affinity with the use of medicinal plants as a therapeutic option. In Brazil, there are several consolidated experiences of municipal programs and projects of use of medicinal plants as a complementary practice in the Unified National Health System (SUS), however in Marapanim-PA, still no program for insertion of this therapeutic resource in the basic attention in health. This work aims to outline the profile of the users of the basic attention to health, noting the frequency of use of medicinal plants and their claims, in addition to emphasizing the importance of medicinal plants while local resource of community health. This work consisted on information survey in two phases: the first held interviews with healthcare professionals in primary care, ending with interviews with users. Were collected informations from groups, transformed into data, charts and tables, summarizing the opinion of 185 people, being 150 users and 35 health professionals. The results of the interviews revealed that all users were in favour of the inclusion of medicinal plants in the primary health care units, this confirmation was also retrieved from health professionals, with the exception of dentists due to their lack of knowledge about herbal medicines, their effectiveness and toxicity. Another important work is the expectation of all respondents for the implementation of a Municipal Program of Medicinal Plants and Phytotherapeutics. This work revealed that medicinal plants are relevant in the daily lives of users of public health services as a therapeutic resource. This work brings as a contribution to the process a procedures booklet with guidelines that will serve as an initial step for the development of a productive chain in the field of medicinal plants in the city.