Group urges development of quality indigenous medicines

…From Wins Charity, Owerri

Association of Commonwealth/Natural/Herbal Medicine Practitioners, Imo State Chapter, has advocated effective and sustainable development of indigenous medicine in the country.

This, according to the association, will be a panacea to strengthen healthcare delivery services for the people.

Apart from the provision of health and wealth, the association explained that processing, researching, packaging, sensitisation, collaboration, producing and marketing of medicinal plants would help the nation graduate to another level.

The chairman of the association, Dr. Victor Nnaoma Oha, stated this shortly after the inauguration of the Executive Council of the association in Owerri, Imo State Chapter, by the National Vice President,  Dr. Alhaji Aminu Wada.

Speaking on the importance of traditional medicine, Dr. Oha disclosed that the current herbal medicine industry is worth about $117 Billion dollars in the country.

According to him, if the nation becomes one of the world major exporters of herbal products at least producing about 35% to 40% of the world’s herbal products “we will already be at 46 billion dollars”.

He stressed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) depends and focuses on traditional medicine to resolve some of her health challenges where orthodox medicine could not be relevant.

The chairman however, promised to embark on capacity building and promotion of welfare of his members said that he would seek the development of traditional medicine in the state through the relevant ministries, departments and agencies such as NAFDAC, NDLEA, APCON and NBC, even as he extended his olive branch to the Imo State Government in developing natural medicine in the state.

Regional co-ordinator of the association (Eastern Zone), Apostle Kenneth Chidi O. Ezeonye said that as one of the three regional arms of the organisation founded in 2001, after Common Wealth Science (CSC) Multi-State Holders Workshop on Bio-Prospection, the zone was intent to fast track the way forward towards achieving her aims and objectives.

This, he said, include enhancement of collaboration and constant information flow between traditional medicine and orthodox medicine practitioners, as well as to work in synergy with other sister associations like NANTMP to achieve the desired goal.

Professor Boniface Ginikanwa, Commissioner for Science and Technology, represented by the permanent secretary of his ministry,John Ifeanyi Uzoma, urged the association to intensify research on traditional medicine for increased health care services to the people.

He assured that the state government was ready to assist the association to excel in its practice explaining that commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries which operates at different segments and states, while the Commonwealth Science Council is an intergovernmental organisation which coordinates and carries out much of the Commonwealth works supported by a network of more than 80 organisations.