A Council for Traditional, Alternative and Complementary Medicine Practice have been approved in Nigeria by the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
After the weekly virtual FEC meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire informed the press about this.
Council for alternative and complementary medicine in Nigeria
Nigeria and the rest of Africa boasts a wide range of alternative medicine in its abundant herbs and roots. These are the biggest ingredients for alternative medicine but they are also applied in modern medicine by pharmaceutical companies.
There are several parts of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) – traditional alternative medicine used in therapy, medicine for the healing of the body and mind, dietary herbs and roots.
The council of alternative and complementary medicine aims to build the field in Nigeria, manage the use of herbal medicine and scientifically back them up. The ministry of health also said it would work with the Institute of Pharmaceutical Research of Nigeria and other relevant research agencies.
The qualities of traditional and alternative medicine fields in Nigeria and the values in these medicines will also be explored by the council.
With the outbreak of COVID-19, the minister said there is a sudden need for home-grown solutions on public health diseases. More so, setting up a council will upscale the practice of traditional medicine in Nigeria just like in China and India.
This is also an opportunity to set up institutions in the country and train people in alternative medicine.
According to the minister, it will have a discussion with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, to also protect the knowledge of traditional practitioners.
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