…Ask FG to hasten action on a clinical trial of the product
Trado-medical practitioners have called on the federal government to urgently complete clinical analysis on their sample of herbal drugs on novel coronavirus with a view to making the same available to Nigerians.
They are optimistic that the drugs submitted to the relevant government agencies for authentication have the efficacy to cure the dreaded disease and save the country over $100 billion bills for procurement of COVID-19 vaccine.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the New National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Practitioner, NNANTMP, Alhaji Ibrahim Dada Nakowa, said traditional medicine is an opportunity in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic and as well end medical tourism in the country
The meeting was at the instance of the federal government on the way forward for traditional medicine, solution for COVID-19 and registration of the practitioners into the database of Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
Nakowa noted that throughout history, traditional medicine has been a source of medical treatment for diseases such as malaria and that COVID-19 can’t be an exception.
He said that the “Contribution of traditional medicine in the management of COVID-19 may complement healthcare prevention and medical care services.”
According to him, “We have modernized and gone far to make all drugs we produce attain standard and safe for human consumption.
“We have produced drugs to cure covid-19 and the sample is already submitted to the federal government for certification. Once that drug is approved, it will save the country billions of dollars because we may no longer need the vaccine.”
The NNANTMP boss, meanwhile, has to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to come to their aide in the area of provision of laboratory and other medical equipment to make their products more scientific.
He commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Science and Technology for bringing them together to assist in finding a solution to the COVID-19 pandemic, ravaging the country and the entire world.
Nakowa said NNANTMP has done well since 2020 up till now to make recognition of the association in the health sector with Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and all other sister agency.
“All these efforts were successful with the relentless visitation and discussion of our able president of the association in the person of all the executive members who have been contributing immensely to the development and growth of this association in person, through media and financially.
“I wish to say a big thank you to everyone and also encourage us all to continue to work harder for us to achieve our aim and objective in the corridor of traditional medicine in the nation.
“Although, there are many challenges facing the smooth progress of the association due to the unnecessary accusation and actions of the Board of Trustee (BOT) to discourage and make it impossible to steer the association well. But our struggle to reach our goal still continues to wax stronger,” he added.
