The Director-General, Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), Dr. Samuel Etatuvie, has advised Nigerians to embrace Nigeria’s natural medicines to improve their quality of life, stressing that they have nothing to fear.
He urged the government to explore and exploit the value chain benefits in natural medicine as a strategy for national economic growth besides utilising traditional medicine knowledge and expertise for the improvement of the quality of life of the people.
Speaking during a public sensitisation on natural medicine knowledge and practices and unveiling of products and new laboratory in Lagos, the NNMDA boss pointed out the medical and economic importance of natural medicine, adding that the sector, if properly harnessed and developed through adequate funding and research, has huge benefits and utility to the people and country as a whole.
The traditional medicine sector, if developed systematic approach and promoted by agencies of governments at all levels, could be the game-changer Nigeria badly needs to improve its economy, assist the health system and provide employment to the teeming youths, Etatuvie said.
“The natural medicine knowledge, with its associated bio-resources that we are abundantly blessed with in this country, is a strategic sector for the overall development of the country, starting from the natural improvement of health, stimulation 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.”
The NNMDA chief explained that the resources of natural medicine are of particular interest because “natural medicine is our heritage and hope for a healthier future,” adding that that at each point, their value chains of resources of natural medicine constitute a major feedstock to economic activities that can spur greater development. He, however, admitted that there are challenges impeding the development of the of the sector, such as near absence of documentation of practice outcomes and bio-resources, issues about secrecy and fear of loss of intellectual property and benefit-sharing, the needed clinical research data to validate traditional medicine knowledge products and technology necessary to transform these resources into innovative and commercialisable products with wide acceptance by clinicians and the public.
According to him, NNMDA has many produced simple, safe, quality and affordable natural products for the prevention and management of various diseases affecting the Nigerians and livestock.
Some of the of the products unveiled included Amarus Herbal Tea for prevention and management of malaria, herbal mosquito repellant, dual action indoor residual spray and air freshener formulated as an insecticide and air freshener, as well as Ocimum Herbal Tea for management of diabetes, among others.
Etatuvie said the agency is well-positioned to play its strategic role in ensuring that the country maximises the huge potential of the sector, stressing that traditional medicine is the best thing that has happened to mankind and has remained one of the pillars of our health and economic development.