Traditional Medicinal Plant Use in Latin America

Linfield College students Anna Sours, a sociology major, and Susana Fajardo, an anthropology major, discuss their collaborative research on medicinal plants in Trujillo, Peru. Sours and Fajardo explain a comparative study to determine if medicinal plants are still a local source of healing in Peru and under what circumstances they are used. They present their findings, including a discussion of Peru's rich history in medicinal plant use, the continued belief in medicinal healing, and its relevance to local daily life. Sours and Fajardo also discuss their work with EsSalud, a social security program in Peru that is unique for its inclusion of traditional medicinal healing along with Western-style medicine.