By: BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
President, Yemkem Group, Dr. Akintunde Ayeni on Wednesday advocated establishment of necessary institutional and financial support to promote the potential role of herbal medicine in primary health care delivery.
Dr Ayeni made the call in Ibadan while delivering 2018 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Oyo State council lecture titled “Nature and Human health” as parts of activities marking this year’s sustainable Gastronomy day held at NUJ Press Center.
He declared that in doing this, “priority should be given to the development of herbal medicine by means of “inventorying and documenting the various medicinal plants and herbs which are used to treat common diseases in each country”.
The Yemkem Group President stressed that to make these a reality, there is the need for the federal government to establish local botanical gardens for the preservation of essential medicinal herbal plants.
Dr Ayeni maintained that there was no doubt in the fact that African traditional medicine is crucial in health of millions of people hence the need for the Nigeria government to establish the necessary institutional centers and provide the appropriate financial support to promote the potential role of herbal medicine especially in the area of primary health care delivery.
“Government should establish the necessary institutional and financial support to promote the potential role of herbal medicine in primary health care delivery. Priority should be giving to the development of herbal medicine by means of the following measures” he said.
Dr Ayeni added “inventorying and documenting the various medicinal plants and herbs which are used to treat common diseases in each country. Establishing local botanical gardens for the preservation of essential medicinal herbal plants. “
“Establishing a potent regulatory body for the practice of traditional medicine in Nigeria such a regulatory body should be named ” Traditional Medicinal Council of Nigeria. Setting up testing laboratories with adequate facilities for the assessment of the efficacy of traditional medicinal herbs and establishing dosage norms for the most efficacious of herbal extracts whether in tablets, capsules, powdered, syrup or other form”.
Speaking further, he also suggested establishment of “a potent regulatory body for the preservation of essential medicinal herbal plans” as well “establishing a potent regulatory body for the practice of traditional medicinal in Nigeria, such a regulatory body could be named “Traditional Medical Council of Nigeria”
Dr Ayeni said “setting up testing laboratories with adequate facilities for the assessment of the efficacy of medicinal herbs, and establishing dosage norms for the most efficacious of herbal extract, whether in tablet, capsule, powder, syrup, liquid or other form”.
Welcoming the guest lecturer and others to the lecture, Chairman of the Oyo state NUJ, Comrade Adewumi Faniran said the event was aimed at ” contributing to the body knowledge”
