The Federal Government has cautioned the traditional medicine practitioners in the country on ethical standard.
The Federal Government gave this charge in Abuja Monday when the Executive and
members of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP) paid a
solidarity visit to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Minister of Health, Prof.C.O.Onyebuchi Chukwu who received the members of NANTMP on behalf of the President said that though Government has created an enabling environment to encourage herbal medicine practice in the country, they should not comprise standard. He warned that Government would not fail to use the big stick if any practitioner does not observe ethics of the profession.
He assured that Government is not resting on its oars to making sure that herbal medicine in Nigeria was taken to the next level and at par with any herbal medicine in the world adding that Nigeria will soon start exporting herbal medicine provided they are verified by NIPRD and registered and certified okay by NAFDAC.
On the issue of exporting herbal products, to chart the way forward, he said that there is going to be a multi-sectoral approach pointing out Government will soon put a body in place to drive that process
He stressed that Government will involve conventional doctors who are doing herbal medicine, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), NAFDAC, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment would be part of the process.
On the issue of efficacy and safety of the herbal products, Prof.Chukwu told the Traditional Medicine Practitioners not to leave anything to chance by making sure that the products have the necessary ingredients and to take the issue of storage of the medicine seriously by ensuring that they are not contaminated. He added that they should comply strictly with standard guidelines and the issue of dosage should be strictly adhered to.
He reaffirmed that Government is determined more than ever before without sentiment or prejudice to encourage herbal medicine practice in Nigeria.
Speaking earlier, the National President, National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP), Chief Prof.Dr.T.O.Omon Oleabhele said that the purpose of their visit was to declare their support to the efforts of the President in his bid to transform the country.
He noted that traditional medicine practice in Nigeria never had it so good like what it is witnessing in this present dispensation adding that they are proud of Mr. President for his transformation agenda which the country has recorded tremendous progress in various spheres of the economy.
He observed that despite the security challenges currently facing the country, Mr. Present was not daunted; he has remained focused in steering the affairs of the country.
He commended the giant strides recorded in the health sector adding that for the first time in the history of Nigeria, a committee for the promotion and export of traditional medicine was constituted and inaugurated in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC has also been directed by the Federal Government to go beyond listing of herbal products hence a Committee for the verification of claims of traditional medicine was inaugurated.
He added that a modern laboratory for the verification of claims of traditional medicine was commissioned at NIPRD by Mr. President and a curriculum for the study of traditional medicine in Nigerian Universities was established and has since submitted its report to the Minister of Health.
While pledging their support to the ongoing efforts by government to fight terrorism in the country, they solicited government to provide them with a piece of land in the Federal Capital Territory to build a befitting secretariat for traditional doctors, provision of buses, fast tracking of the passage of the bill on traditional medicine into law as well as establishment of the National Council on Traditional Medicine in Nigeria.
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