Herbalists move to sanitise traditional medical practice nationwide

From Cyril Mbah, Abuja.

Concerned herbalists have set up a taskforce with policing powers to sanitise the practice of traditional medicine in the country, eliminate quackery and the unwholesome activities of its teeming members.

The initiative would expectedly lead to improvement in the standard of traditional medicine, raise the quality of products and services available apart from  increasing acceptability among the population.

According to an authoritative official, Chief Adepapo Aderemi, the National Commandant of the Traditional Practitioners National Peace Corps, who spoke on the matter, during the inauguration of the Federal Capital Territory chapter of the task force last weekend, the initiative has the approval and blessings of the Federal Ministry of Health.

He disclosed that already several fake herbalists have been arrested for illegally hawking and prescribing very dangerous concoctions to innocent people, without minding that such herbs poison the human system and may lead to death.

Chief Aderemi disclosed that chief marshals have been appointed in the 36 states of the federation to man the task force that are being formed in the states to ensure strict compliance.

Corroborating the claims of the commandant, Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed, the National President Islamic Native Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria, in an interview, appealed to herbalists throughout the country to embrace the initiative as it would separate genuine practitioners from quacks and pave the way for the proper regulation of traditional medical practice in the country.

Also, Dr. Gimba Zubairu, the FCT Chapter President of First Class Traditional Medicine Plants and Herbs Dealers promised that the task force will clamp down on hawkers of herbs on the streets and weekly markets to ensure compliance.

He also called on herbalists in the FCT to register with the group and operate more freely in the territory warning that henceforth, the task force will make life unbearable for unregistered herbal medical practitioners.