ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the controversial tendency of Tanzanian patients to turn to medicinal plants in the case of an AIDS illness. At the center of this exploration is the Chinese medicinal plant Artemisia annua, which has played a decisive role in the therapy management of an HIV self-help group in Musoma since 2003. The clinical utility of a component from the Chinese plant has stimulated global interest in medicinal plants as potential sources of new antimalarial drugs. In Tanzania's government-run healthcare institutions, access to antiretroviral medications (ARVs) is tied to certain rules and regulations. Individuals desiring antiretroviral therapy (ART), for instance, have to prove that they are adherent patients. The difficulties that AIDS patients in Tanzania encounter are not limited to restricted access to medicinal treatment. In order for a patient to be eligible for ART a whole series of conditions needs to be met; the result of a CD4 test is the most important indicator.
