NAFDAC Lists Reasons For Non-integration Of Herbal Medicine

The inadequate coordination of the activities of the herbal medicine practitioners has been identified as  one of the issues for non-integration of herbal medicine into the nation’s health care system.

Speaking during a presentation at a symposium organised by Pax Herbal Clinic and Research Laboratories in Enugu recently, the Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii said that although the use of traditional and herbal medicines are widespread in the country, its integration into the national health care system had remained a problem.

Dr Orhii, who was represented by the South East Zonal Head of NAFDAC, Mr Festus  Anmba, listed a host of other factors militating against the integration process but stated that all hope was not lost as government had already launched the traditional medicine policy as a monumental landmark.

According to him, regulations and guidelines have been developed by NAFDAC to encourage manufacturers of herbal medicines to register their products in order to improve their acceptability.

Earlier in his address, Rev Anselm Adodo, a management staff of Pax  Herbals, said the workshop on the “role of herbal medicine in primary healthcare in Nigeria was aimed at drawing attention to the huge potentials of African traditional medicine as a healthcare provider and as an instrument of wealth creation.

“The overall purpose of the programme was to main stream herbal medicine into the national healthcare system in the country.