Janet Ogundepo
The President of the National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Practitioners, Shaaba Mekudi, has called on the National Assembly to speed up the passage of the bill to establish the Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Council of Nigeria.
Mekudi said the establishment of the council would regulate the practice of traditional medicine in the country, noting that this would improve its standards in alignment with international expectations.
The NANTMP President made the call in Abeokuta on Wednesday during a workshop organised by its Southwest branch in collaboration with the United Nations Federation of International Astro on the Practice of Traditional Medicine in Nigeria.
The theme of the two-day conference is “The Impacts of NAFDAC in the Preparation and Selling of Herbal Medicine in Nigeria.”
Mekudi said, “When you go to Ghana and other countries, you will see the establishment of the traditional medicine council. We are also using this opportunity to call on the National Assembly and the Federal Government to ensure the passage of this bill to establish the Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Council.
“We need this council to regulate our practice and bring it up to standard. See where China is today in herbal medicine. We must develop our tradition, even the World Health Organisation said that 85 per cent of the world today depends on traditional medicine.
“China and other countries of the world are where they are today because of the government’s support but we are yet to have a regulatory body and this will always slow down our progress. We have all the available resources, we have the manpower, and we have the raw materials but we have not been able to package these medicines and market them within the nation and outside the country. We are calling on the government to help with the establishment of the Traditional Medicine Council of Nigeria.”
The NANTMP President also called for unity among members, stating that with unity the traditional and alternative medicine practice would attain greater heights.
Delivering his lecture at the workshop, the African Regional Coordinator for the United Nations Federation of International Astro, Prof Olumuyiwa Babalola, said that the federation’s presence in the country represented an exciting opportunity to elevate, empower and integrate traditional medicine as a vital part of our national healthcare system.
Babalola said, “Through training programmes, the United Nations Federation of International Astro aims to work closely with practitioners to standardise and enhance these practices, ensuring that patients receive the safest and most reliable care possible.
“We envision creating certification programmes and accreditation systems in partnership with Nigeria’s health ministries.
“These initiatives will not only build trust between traditional practitioners and the public but also provide traditional medicine with a respected place in Nigeria’s broader healthcare system.”
In his welcome address, the South-West President of NANTMP, Samson Soyoye, said the workshop was imperative to help members broaden their horizons on how to conduct their business without running afoul of the law.
Other dignitaries at the event include the Registrar of the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, Babatunde Adele, Ogun State Alternative Medicine Board, Nurudeen Olaleye, Consultant, Federal Ministry of Health, Professor Titilayo Hassan and more.
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