HEALTH MINISTER CALLS FOR STANDARDIZING TRADITIONAL MEDICINE TO IMPROVE SAFETY, EFFECTIVENESS

By Vincess Okushi 

Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, has called on traditional medicine practitioners in Nigeria to meet established standards to boost the quality, safety, and efficacy of products in the the country.

Speaking at the 2024 African Traditional Medicine Day celebration in Abuja on September 3rd, the Minister emphasized the need to regulate and modernize traditional medicine to enhance its contributions to the nation’s healthcare system.

This year’s theme, “Support the Provision of Quality and Safe Traditional Medicine through Appropriate Regulatory Mechanisms,” also saw the official launch of the Traditional Medicine Policy and the Nigerian Essential Medicinal Plants List.

Dr Alausa, while highlighting the pivotal challenge in the government’s efforts to improve public health outcomes, noted that traditional medicine is rich in history and cultural roots. Hence, its vital role in the health and well-being of many citizens, particularly in rural areas, is unquantifiable in quarantining a healthy society. 

According to him, around 80% of Nigeria’s rural population relies on traditional remedies,  stressing that without proper regulation, the safety and effectiveness of these treatments remain in question.

The absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework is one of the greatest challenges facing traditional medicine in Nigeria and across Africa,

To protect patients and ensure the public’s trust, we must systematically collect and analyze data on the safety and use of traditional treatments.

The Minister, however, called for stronger collaboration between traditional medicine practitioners and regulatory bodies like NAFDAC and the Standards Organization of Nigeria to bolster inspections and enforce safety measures, and assured of the government’s continued support for training, research, and resources for safe and effective practices.

Also, Daju Kachollom, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, while commending the African Union and the World Health Organization for promoting traditional medicine in Africa, sued for collective action to integrate traditional medicine into Nigeria’s healthcare system. 

Dignitaries such as the Deputy High Commissioner of India, Vartika Rawat, amongst others, urged traditional medicine practitioners to modernize and share knowledge to further enhance the system.

These new policies and frameworks are aimed at providing a safer, more effective traditional medicine practice to improve health outcomes for the citizens.

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