The Federal Government will review its policy on traditional medicine.

Nigeria’s Herbal Pharmacopoeia and Traditional Medicine Policy are currently being reviewed, according to the Federal Ministry of Health.

Nigeria has about 8,000 medicinal plants that have yet to be used, according to the report.
Dr. Olorunnimbe Adeleke Mamora, Minister of State for Health, stated this on Monday during a press conference held by the ministry to commemorate African Traditional Medicine Day.

He added that the ministry is also collaborating with international organizations and relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure the discovery of effective COVID-19 and other diseases arising from the country’s diverse flora.

According to the minister, Nigeria will not be able to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) unless traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine are given pride of place in the country.

Read also: FG and Konga sign a Memorandum of Understanding on youth empowerment

Alhaji Mahmoud Mamman, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, said that about 8,000 medicinal plants have yet to be used in research, development, and value addition.

Mamman, who was represented by Zainab Ujudud Shariff, the head of the ministry’s Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) Department, said that traditional medicine is used by about 80% of Nigerians in rural areas.

The listing of 14 herbal medicinal products against coronavirus by NAFDAC, as well as ongoing clinical trials on them, was in line with the Regional Expert Committee on COVID-19 goal of raising the standards of traditional medicine clinical trials for the virus, according to Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Nigeria Country Representative.

He stated that WHO Nigeria was assisting the Ministry of Health in the review of the Traditional Medicines Policy 2007 and the Nigeria Pharmacopoeia 2008, as well as the development of a five-year strategic plan to implement the new policy and revised pharmacopoeia.