The Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has expressed readiness to support the advancement of traditional medicine in the country.
The Minister of Science Technology and Innovation, Mr Uche Nnaji, stated this at a one-day dialogue on re-thinking natural medicine held in Abuja.
The theme for the meeting was “Support the provision of quality and safe traditional medicine through appropriate regulatory mechanisms” .
The event was organised by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA).
Nnaji, who reiterated Federal Government’s dedication to supporting and strengthening local industries, highlighted their crucial role in driving economic growth and development.
He emphasised that traditional medicine played a major role in people’s life and national development, adding that the innovation was still low hence the need for support.
“ The Federal Government is committed to the growth of local content and industries, so the ministry will give its support to the development of the sector.
“ Our support will improve industrialisation so that resources such as traditional medicine knowledge, products and technology can be transformed into innovative and commercialised products,” he said
The minister promised to collaborate with the agency in the area of product research funding and training, among other possible partnerships.
The Director-General, NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, said that medical science had made incredible advances all over the globe especially in the area of traditional medicine.
Emeje, therefore, called for public and private support to promote traditional medicine in Nigeria like the rest of the world.
The NNMDA D-G said that the inclusion of traditional herbal medicine in clinical practice would also help to achieve health for all.
“ The traditional medicine subsector holds the master key to the much-desired future of Nigeria’s healthcare delivery and economic greatness.
“With its associated bio-resources, it is a strategic sector that can be used as a tool for the overall development of the country, starting from the natural improvement of health.
Also in simulation of small and medium scale agro-business, small scale product industries in health, raw materials and a feedstock to the global knowledge economy in research and product development,” Emeje said.
He said that in recent years, research on African traditional/ herbal medicine had been increasing clinical trials and research by public or private researchers across the world.
“ Africa has great pool of diverse medicinal plant sources, a long and well characterised traditional medicinal system. Modern technology and techniques have rrevolutionised he progression of drug discovery from medicinal plants.
“Modern technology and techniques became an essential tool to monitor and maintain the quality of traditional formulation, and mechanism for its formulation,’’ he said.
Dr Merlin Wilcox, a Principal Research Fellow at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom, in his keynote speech detailed the process of arranging a collaborative project between governments
Wllcox called for gogovernment’s support to research and development of traditional medicines so that its citizens can enjoy its high level benefits.
“Scientific evidence is needed to support the provision of safe and quality medicine to the citizens.
“So many people are in dire need of traditional medicine because it is more effective and retentive of its originality.
“ The government needs to strengthen policies that will make it more presentable and available in dosages,’’ he said.