Traditional Medicine: Reps To Investigate NAFDAC and others, The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, unveiled plans to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the abyssal performance of the National Institute for Research and Development (NIRD) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmaceutical Research and Development Council and the Natural Medicine Research Council on the development of traditional medicine.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on the need to develop African traditional medicine sponsored by Hon Bashiru Dawodu.
Worried by the underperformance of the regulatory agencies, the House tasked NIRD and NAFDAC management with the need for the development of Traditional Medicine.
The House also tasked Federal Government to adequately fund the Nigeria Natural Medicine Research Board to enable it to carry out research and development into cure for COVID-19 and other diseases in line with the mandate of the agency.
Traditional Medicine: Reps To Investigate NAFDAC and others
In his lead debate, Hon Dawodu said herbal-based traditional medicines and phytomedicine play significant roles in disease management in Africa and are widely used as alternative medicines in the country.
He observed that with the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2019 which ravaged the world, Scientists have been trying to find a cure for it, through research into traditional and orthodox medicine as a potential therapy for the virus.
He disclosed that herbal medicines are naturally occurring plant-derived substances used to treat various ailments and as such, there is a crucial need to array out research into plant-based medicine.
He stressed that there have been several declarations as regards herbal remedies for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, but such claims are difficult to verify because of lack of documented evidence.
He said that developing traditional medicines research has a huge potential for health and socio-economic development in Nigeria and the African continent at large.