Nation
Practitioner Assures On Natural Medicine-BasedCOVID-19 Vaccine
A Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine or drug based on natural medicine will soon be produced in Nigeria, as researches are being intensified on that.
A natural medicine practitioner, Dr Ndubuisi Nwak-akwa, gave the assurance in an interview with The Tide source in Lagos, yesterday.
Nwakakwa, a Consultant Acupunturist, said that within a short time such a vaccine or drug would surface.
He said that COVID-19 pandemic presented an opportunity for natural medicine practitioners to contribute more to healthcare delivery.
“ The COVID-19 pandemic paved way for government’s call for practitioners to come forward with a cure to the pandemic.
“Researches are on; within a short time, a vaccine or drug based on natural medicine will surface,” Nwakakwa, a Visiting Professor to Indian Acupuncture Training and Research Center, Jaipur, said.
The one-time Acting Provost of defunct Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Lagos, said that there was the need for Nigeria to do more investigation on the potency of natural things it was endowed with.
“Other countries can seek ours, this will create a huge economy for Nigeria,” he said.
The acupuncturist said that natural medicine had impacted much on Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system, particularly in villages difficult to access by the orthodox system.
According to Nwakakwa, natural medicine practitioners have filled the vacuum in such areas.
“Where western practitioners dread to go, natural medicine practitioners are there. It is an age-long system.
“ Before the advent of the western system, our society had been benefiting from it, from child delivery to dressing of wounds, etc.
“Most of the ailments or diseases that have defied the western system are being handled and managed by natural medicine practitioners of various fields such as acupuncture, homeopathy, traditional medicine.
“There are economic benefits to Nigeria as a result of low expenditure by patients who go for natural medicine.
“Adverse effects are minimal,” he said.
The acupuncturist described as encouraging, the level of integration of natural medicine into Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.
“Apart from various states having boards of natural medicine, a major achievement is the establishment of such a department in the Federal Ministry of Health.
”It is no longer rhetoric that its acceptance is obvious and encouraging,” he said.
He described as laudable, Federal Executive Council’s recent approval of establishment of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Council.
The natural medicine practitioner, however, appealed to the Federal Government to go a step further by re-establishing Federal Traditional College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine or encourage the existing individuals’ establishments.
He said that the establishment would boost natural medicine practice.
He noted that acupuncture was recognised by World Health Organisation as a medical system with good effects, noting that acupuncture could handle and manage obstetrics and gynacology, gastro-intestinal and mental cases.
“Cancer-related pains could be managed by acupuncture; certain surgical cases e.g thyroidectomy patients are anesthetised by acupuncture where patients will be awake throughout the surgery unlike the other system of going to sleep.
“However, both complement each other,” he stated.
He identified challenges to natural medicine practice to include lack of co-operation among practitioners, inadequate funding and lack of well-equipped research laboratories accessible to the practitioners.
He called for more government support for the practitioners.
“ Herbal products are imported from other countries and accepted while we reject ours,” he regretted.
Nwakakwa, who recently received the Legendary Award of the Association of Certified Professionals of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine, said the honour served as an incentive for him to contribute more to natural medicine practice.
Nwakakwa, also a Fellow of the association, is one of the pioneers of complementary and alternative medicine practice in Nigeria.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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